THE  CLAMMER 


WILLIAM  JOHN 
HOPKINS 


/. 


THE    CLAMMER 


.   OF  CALIF.   LIBRARY,   LOS  &SGEUSS 


THE    CLAMMER 


BY 


WILLIAM  JOHN  HOPKINS 


TOOTBIEN 


OURIEN 


BOSTON    AND    NEW    YORK 
HOUGHTON,    MIFFLIN    &    COMPANY 


1906 


COPYRIGHT    1906   BY    WILLIAM  JOHN    HOPKINS 
ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


Published  March,  iqob 


CONTENTS 
I 


THE  CLAMMER 


II 

A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH      .     .     83 

III 

OLD  GOODWIN'S  WIFE    .     .     .     .177 


I 

THE   CLAMMER 


THE  CLAMMER 

MANY  of  my  friends  — and  prob 
ably  all  my  neighbors  —  think 
me  erratic  and  peculiar,  I  do  not 
doubt.  My  friends  remonstrate  with 
me  mildly,  and  I  usually  listen  and 
accept  and  make  no  reply.  For  how 
can  they  know  ?  And,  they  being 
what  they  are,  how  can  I  help  them 
to  a  knowledge  of  things  which  must 
be  born  in  a  man  ?  My  neighbors  do 
not  remonstrate,  for  my  neighbors  are 
not  of  necessity  my  friends,  and  I  am 
queer  enough  not  to  care  to  cultivate 
a  man's  acquaintance  merely  because 
he  lives  next  me. 

There  is  Goodwin   the   Rich,  who 
has  the  palace  on  the  hill,  above  my 


4  THE    CLAMMER 

favorite  clam  beds.  It  is  not  likely  that 
I  shall  ever  know  him,  although  his 
automobiles  flash  past  my  front  gate, 
covering  my  hedge  with  dust,  and  en 
veloping  my  house  in  nauseous  smells. 
I  do  not  like  automobiles.  It  is  not 
to  be  imagined  that  Goodwin  finds  me 
peculiar,  for  he  is  probably  unaware  of 
my  existence ;  but  I  have  some  hum 
bler  neighbors  who  stare  at  me  and 
shake  their  heads.  And  I  smile  and 
pass  on ;  for  I  know  what  I  know, 
and  it  passeth  their  understanding. 
And  all  this  shaking  of  heads,  and  all 
the  protesting  of  my  friends,  is  be 
cause  I  choose  to  go  clamming. 

Some  of  my  friends  may,  at  first, 
have  had  the  idea  that  my  interest  in 
clams  was  biological ;  for  I  received 
some  training  in  that  branch  of  sci 
ence,  and  even  taught  it  —  or  was  sup- 


THE    CLAMMER  5 

posed  to  teach  it,  with  other  branches 
-in  a  school.  But  I  look  back  upon 
that  school  with  horror,  as,  no  doubt, 
my  victims  regard  me,  in  retrospect. 
And  my  neighbors  may,  very  natu 
rally,  have  assumed  that  my  interest 
in  clams  was  gastronomic,  which  is, 
indeed,  nearer  the  truth.  But  the  evi 
dence  on  that  point  was  inconclusive. 
They  were  not  asked  to  my  feasts  of 
steamed  clams,  if  I  had  any,  and  they 
came  to  look  upon  me  as  simply  queer. 
As  an  occupation  for  leisure  hours, 
I  commend  the  pursuit  of  the  clam. 
Your  true  clammer  is  of  another  age, 
born  after  his  time.  He  values  not  at 
all  the  improvements  of  this  age.  He 
reads  by  candle  light  or  goes  to  bed 
at  dark.  He  loves  the  wandering  along 
the  bare  shores,  hoe  in  hand,  the  wad 
ing  through  shallows,  the  mud  pies  he 


6  THE    CLAMMER 

may  make  in  the  incidental  pursuit  of 
his  prey,  and  the  sights  he  sees.  For 
the  capture  of  the  clams  is  less  than 
the  search  for  them,  even  as  the  sport 
of  the  true  fisherman  lies  as  much  in 
fishing  as  in  catching  fish. 

So  it  befell  that  I  wandered,  one 
afternoon,  toward  my  chosen  hunting 
ground  over  the  oozy  flats.  The  sun 
was  low  in  the  west,  and  he  spread 
the  still  water  and  the  shining  mud 
with  all  manner  of  reds  and  purples 
and  shimmering  greens.  If  I  might 
regulate  the  matter,  low  tide  should  al 
ways  fall  at  sunset  or  at  dawn.  Either 
is  a  fitting  time,  with  the  old  earth  at 
peace  and  its  waters  stilled  or  just 
waking.  And  at  either  time  I  may 
satisfy  my  soul  with  the  unapproach 
able  coloring  of  the  Great  Painter.  The 
hot  noon  is  no  time  for  clamming. 


THE    CLAMMER  7 

Then  the  water  glares  in  your  eyes, 
the  sun  beats  down  upon  your  back. 
The  mud  is  just  mud  that  stinketh  in 
the  nostrils.  But  when  I  have  the 
happiness  to  go  clamming  at  sunset, 
I  am  wont  to  stand  and  gaze  and 
muse,  forgetting  my  errand  until  I  am 
sunken  to  my  ankles  in  the  mud. 
Then  is  my  regret  for  my  scientific 
training  the  keenest,  and  I  know, 
within  my  soul,  that  in  the  making  of 
a  mediocre  scientist  a  good  painter 
has  been  lost  to  the  world.  Strive 
against  it  as  I  may,  I  cannot  see  a 
sunset  without  converting  it  into  its 
elements  of  refraction,  with  a  question 
of  polarization ;  nor  the  colors  on  the 
muddy  puddle  under  my  feet  without 
thoughts  of  interference.  But  I  am 
improving,  and  I  hope,  in  time,  to  have 
shaken  off  all  the  dry  dust  of  science 


8  THE    CLAMMER 

I  was  at  such  pains  to  acquire.  So, 
that  afternoon,  I  wended  on  with  joy 
in  my  heart.  For  I  would  dig,  or  gaze, 
as  the  fancy  seized  me,  until  the  sun 
was  gone  and  the  night  was  fallen. 

Now,  that  particular  piece  of  flat,  to 
which  incline  alike  my  heart  and  my 
feet,  is  my  own.  I  bought  the  few  feet 
of  shore  to  which  the  clam  beds  are 
attached  because  I  loved  it  and  feared 
lest,  otherwise,  the  march  of  progress 
should  take  it  from  me.  For  Goodwin 
the  Rich  lives  here,  and  he  is  improv 
ing  the  shore  — his  Water  Front.  But 
he  shall  not  improve  away  my  clams. 
He  may  dig  here  and  fill  there  and 
build  his  walls,  but  he  shall  leave  mine 
untouched.  For  it  is  mine,  as  witness- 
eth  a  certain  deed  recorded  with 
the  Register.  And  as  I  thought  these 
thoughts,  walking  over  my  sand,  — 


THE   CLAMMER  9 

there  is  more  sand  than  mud  here, 
which  is  perhaps  why  I  like  it,  —  as  I 
thought  on  these  things,  anger  surged 
within  me  and  I  stamped  my  foot. 
And,  behold,  a  little  jet  of  water  spurted 
up  beside  it. 

"  Oho,"  said  I,  "  so  there  you  are." 
And  straightway  I  stopped  and  set 
down  my  basket  and  began  to  dig; 
but  leisurely,  and  with  my  face  to  the 
west,  for  I  would  bid  the  sun  good 
night.  And  that  clam  was  found,  and 
his  fellows,  and  my  basket  was  half 
full,  and  I  rose  to  see  the  sun.  And 
as  I  stood  and  saw  him,  his  red  disk 
was  half  down  behind  the  hill,  and  I 
could  see  it  sink.  So  I  raised  my  hand 
to  salute  him,  and  there  came  a  sweet 
voice  behind  me. 

"  Man,"  said  the  sweet  voice,  "  why 
are  you  digging  there  ?  " 


io  THE   CLAMMER 

Now  I  was  surprised  to  hear  that 
voice,  but  most  surprised  at  its  sweet 
ness.  But  yet  I  would  not  turn  nor 
answer  until  the  red  sun  had  winked 
his  last.  For,  I  thought,  here  is  one  of 
the  maids  from  the  house  of  Goodwin 
the  Rich  —  or  perhaps  the  governess ; 
yes,  surely,  the  governess.  The  truly 
Rich  may  insist  upon  sweet  voices  in 
their  governesses.  And  at  last  I  turned 
and  saw  the  governess  sitting  upon 
the  bank,  just  where  the  sod  broke 
off  to  the  sand.  And  the  light  from 
the  western  sky  shone  upon  her,  the 
light  from  the  sky  that  was  all  yellows 
and  reds  and  would  soon  be  turned  to 
violet  and  green.  And  as  she  sat  there, 
in  her  plain  black  dress,  with  that  light 
shining  upon  her,  she  seemed  very 
beautiful.  Truly,  thought  I,  the  Rich 
may  have  what  they  will.  But  I  could 


THE    CLAMMER  n 

not  have  told  what  was  the  color  of 
her  hair.  In  that  light  it  was  red  and 
gold.  And  I  stammered  in  my  speech. 

"  Your  pardon,  madam,"  I  said.  "  I 
was  saying  good-night  to  the  old  sun." 

She  smiled,  a  smile  as  sweet  as  her 
voice,  but  with  a  touch  of  sadness  in 
it.  The  life  of  a  governess  to  the  Rich 
is  not  all  a  path  of  roses. 

"  Yes,"  she  said.  "  I  came  down  to 
see  the  sun  set,  too.  But  why  are  you 
digging  ? " 

"  I  was  digging  clams,"  I  answered 
gently.  For  I  felt  a  sorrow  for  her 
sadness. 

"  Oh,"  she  said,  "  do  you  dig  clams? 
Have  you  some  clams  in  your  basket? 
I  should  like  to  see  some  clams." 

Now,  truly,  that  was  an  easy  mat 
ter,  that  she  should  see  some  clams, 
for  there  they  were  in  the  basket. 


12  THE    CLAMMER 

And  the  sun  was  gone,  so  I  lost  none 
of  his  company  if  I  would  please  the 
governess.  It  did,  indeed,  strike  me  as 
strange  that  a  governess  should  know 
so  little  of  clams,  but  probably  she 
did  not  teach  biology.  Governesses  to 
the  Rich  deal  more  in  appearance  and 
in  manners.  Still,  I  hold  that  in  some 
respects  the  manners  of  a  clam  are  wor 
thy  of  imitation.  He  is  quiet  and  un 
obtrusive.  I  waded  out  into  the  water 
and  soused  my  basket  well.  Then  I 
brought  it  to  the  governess  sitting  on 
the  bank. 

"  Now,"  she  said,  a  trifle  of  petulance 
showing  in  the  sweet  voice,  "  you  have 
got  them  all  wet." 

"  Better  all  wet  than  all  muddy,"  I 
replied,  standing  before  her,  and  watch 
ing  the  play  of  light  upon  her  hair. 
When  I  see  her  hair  in  the  plain  light 


THE    CLAMMER  13 

of  day,  I  think  I  shall  find  it  red,  —  a 
brilliant  red.  But  it  was  wonderful. 
Her  head  was  bent  as  she  looked  into 
my  basket,  and  my  opportunity  for 
observation  was  excellent.  One  thing 
my  scientific  training  has  done  for  me 
is  to  make  me  a  good  observer. 

"  Oh,"  cried  the  governess,  "  what  is 
that  funny-looking  thing  they  are  stick 
ing  out  ?  Is  it  the  head  ?  " 

"  It  is  called  the  head,"  I  answered, 
"  but  it  is  not.  Is  n't  it  strange  how 
often  a  thing  is  not  what  it  is  called  ? 
But  I  suppose  you  do  not  have  to  teach 
anything  about  clams." 

"  Teach  about  clams !  "  she  said, 
puzzled  for  an  instant.  Then  she 
seemed  to  be  amused.  "  No,  I  don't. 
It's  lucky,  is  n't  it  ?  For  I  don't  know 
anything  about  them.  May  I  take  one 
of  them?" 


14  THE    CLAMMER 

"  It  will  drip  on  your  dress  and  spot 
it,"  I  said  warningly. 

"  It  does  n't  matter,"  she  replied. 
And  she  took  a  clam  in  her  hand,  and 
the  water  dripped  upon  her  dress,  as 
I  had  said,  and  it  made  a  spot.  She 
could  not  see  it  then,  but  I  knew  how 
it  would  look  in  the  morning.  She  was 
a  most  careless,  heedless  governess. 

"  Of  course  it  matters,"  I  said,  re 
proving.  "  You  will  see.  Surely  they 
don't  give  you  all  the  gowns  you  want, 
to  spot  with  salt  water." 

She  was  puzzled  again.  "  All  the 
gowns  I  want  ? "  she  asked,  wondering. 
"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Up  at  the  great  house,"  I  said,  "  at 
Good —  Mr.  Goodwin's." 

The  governess  smiled,  a  merry  smile 
that  filled  her  eyes  with  light.  For  she 
was  looking  up  at  me  then.  And  I 


THE    CLAMMER  15 

looked  deep  into  those  eyes  until  her 
face  was  the  color  of  her  hair. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  said,  looking  down, 
—  and  I  was  sorry,  for  on  a  sudden  it 
seemed  dark,  —  "  oh,  yes,  they  are  very 
good  to  me —  in  the  matter  of  gowns. 
But  I  will  be  careful  if  you  think  I 
ought." 

"  I  know  you  ought,"  I  said.  "  Waste 
is  wicked." 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  musing,  "  I 
suppose  it  is.  But  I  am  afraid  I  haven't 
thought  about  it  as  much  as  I  might." 

She  was  looking  at  me,  up  and  down, 
from  my  mud-covered  rubber  boots  to 
my  old  battered  hat.  I  was  clad  as  a 
clammer  should  be  clad,  and  I  was  not 
ashamed. 

"You  are  not  wicked,  are  you?" 
asked  the  governess.  "  You  are  not 
wasteful  ? " 


16  THE  CLAMMER 

"  Not  of  my  clothes,"  I  answered.  "  I 
cannot  be.  And  do  you  suppose  my 
wife  would  drip  salt  water  upon  her 
best  dress  ? " 

I  thought  I  saw  a  shadow  steal  across 
her  face.  But  the  sun  had  left  many 
shadows  behind  him. 

"  It  is  n't  my  "  -  -  She  hesitated  and 
stopped.  "  Have  you  a  wife  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  answered  shamelessly.  And 
she  laughed  aloud,  a  sweet  laugh  and 
low,  like  —  like  nothing  else  in  the 
wide  world. 

"  Are  you  a  fisherman  ? "  she  asked. 

I  had  forgotten  how  the  garb  of  a 
clammer  would  be  regarded  by  a  gov 
erness  to  the  Rich. 

"  Sometimes,"  I  said.  "  I  am  but 
a  passable  fisherman.  I  can  catch 
enough  for  myself,  or,  if  need  were, 
for  two." 


THE    CLAMMER  17 

"  And  do  you  use  the  clams  to  catch 
the  fish  ? " 

"  Some  of  them." 

"  I  should  like  to  open  this  clam. 
How  shall  I  do  it  ?  " 

I  broke  the  shell  upon  a  stone,  and 
pulled  forth  the  clam. 

"  Oh,"  cried  the  governess,  "  the  poor 
thing  !  And  does  n't  it  hurt  it  ? " 

"  The  scientists  will  tell  you  that  it 
does  not,"  I  said.  "  Never  having  been 
a  clam,  I  do  not  know.  But  I  know  I 
cannot  use  them  without  breaking  the 
shell." 

"And  what  do  you  do  with  the  rest?" 
she  asked. 

"  The  rest  ?  " 

"Yes,  the  rest,  —  those  you  do  not 
use  to  catch  fish.  Come,  tell  me.  Don't 
make  me  ask  so  many  questions." 

"  I  like  to  hear  you  ask  questions," 


18  THE   CLAMMER 

I  said,  whereupon  she  smiled  again. 
And  her  eyes  filled  with  light  as  they 
had  before,  and  I  knew  that  I  were 
safer  on  the  quicksand  of  the  Hole 
than  looking  down  into  those  eyes. 
But  I  went  on. 

"  The  rest  are  eaten.  Some  make 
chowder,  which  is  a  mystery  ;  some 
are  steamed  in  the  oven  ;  but  the  rest 
are  covered  with  seaweed  and  baked 
on  hot  stones.  Did  you  never  see  a 
clambake  ?  " 

"  Never,"  she  answered,  "  although 
I  have  heard  them  mentioned.  Are 
they  rare  feasts  ?  I  should  like  to  see 
a  clambake." 

"  I  shall  have  one,"  I  said,  "  and 
you  will  come.  And  we  shall  have 
clams,  fresh  digged  and  weltering ;  and 
fish  fresh  caught ;  and  chicken  not  too 
fresh  ;  and  lobsters  and  sweet  potatoes 


THE    CLAMMER  19 

and  corn  and  many  other  things.  And 
there  will  be  a  great  pan  for  the  shells 
and  the  husks,  for  you  will  not  throw 
them  on  the  ground,  as  we  common 
people  do.  And  you  will  shuck  the 
clams  with  your  fingers,  and  eat  the 
corn  from  the  cob." 

"  Horrible  !  "  she  said.  And  she 
looked  at  her  hands,  and  laughed. 
They  were  shapely  hands,  soft  and 
beautiful.  I  wished  —  but  it  does  not 
matter  what  I  wished,  for  I  knew  I 
might  not  have  it. 

"  Fisherman,"  she  said,  "  you  amuse 
me.  But  I  will  come  to  your  clam 
bake." 

"  Do  you  find  me  more  amusing  than 
your  teaching  ?  "  I  asked.  For  one 
does  not  enjoy  being  laughed  at  by  a 
governess  with  red  hair  and  beautiful 
eyes,  although  to  stand  there,  close 


20  THE   CLAMMER 

before  her,  and  to  see  her  laugh,  was  a 

joy. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  "  vastly  more 
than  my  teaching.  My  teaching  is  not 
amusing.  I  weary  of  it." 

"Yes,"  I  cried,  "  I  know  it.  And  do 
you  find  the  doings  at  the  great  house 
a  weariness  ? " 

"  I  do,"  she  said.  "  And  that  is  why 
I  came  here." 

"  And  will  you  come  again  ?" 

"  Perhaps.  But  when  shall  that  won 
derful  clambake  be  ? " 

"That,"  I  said,  "is  in  the  future. 
There  are  preparations.  And  besides, 
I  would  have  it  to  look  forward  to. 
And  how  am  I  to  let  you  know  ?  " 

"  Why,"  she  said, "  that  is  a  problem. 
Perhaps  —  you  might  leave  your  invi 
tation  under  that  great  stone." 

"And  how  should  I  know"  — 


THE   CLAMMER  21 

"  Why,  again,"  she  said,  "one  might 
find  something  under  the  stone  if  he 
but  looked." 

And  she  was  silent  for  some  while. 

"  Fisherman,"  she  said  suddenly, 
"  what  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Thomas,"  I  answered ;  "  and  what 
is  yours  ? " 

She  started,  and  for  an  instant  she 
was  angry.  Then  she  laughed  again, 
adorably,  and  blushed.  "  My  name  is 
Eve,"  she  said. 

"  Truly,"  I  said, "  I  should  have  known. 
And  I  was  wrong,  for  mine  is  Adam." 

"  Now,  fisherman,"  she  cried,  "  you 
presume." 

"  I  must,"  I  answered,  "  for  it  is  the 
nature  that  God  gave  me." 

"  And,  Thomas,"  she  went  on,  "you 
dig  in  our  —  in  Mr.  Goodwin's  clam 
beds." 


22  THE    CLAMMER 

"  I  do  not,"  I  cried,  forgetting,  in  my 
anger,  "  they  are  m — ,  they  belong  to 
a  queer  fellow  who  lives  near." 

"  Oh,"  she  said.  "  And  he  lets  you 
dig  there  ? " 

"  He  lets  me." 

She  mused  and  looked  down  at  the 
clam  beds.  But  the  water  was  lapping 
on  the  flats  by  this,  and  the  twilight 
waned. 

"  I  wonder,"  she  said,  and  stopped. 

"What?" 

"  I,  too,  would  dig  for  clams." 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  why  not  ?  But  not 
in  that  gown." 

"  Would  it  be  a  waste,  and  wicked  ? 
But  you  said  it  was  spotted  already." 

"  It  may  be  cleaned,"  I  answered.  "  I 
wonder  at  you."  For  I  was  impatient. 
What  a  spendthrift  governess  1 

"  There  are  so  many  things  I  do  not 


THE    CLAMMER  23 

think  of,"  she  said  contritely.  "  But  I 
must  learn.  And  what  gown,  then  ?  " 

"A  short  one,"  I  said,  "and  an  old 
one,  if  you  have  such  a  thing.  I  never 
heard  of  so  extravagant  a  governess." 

"Oh,"  she  said,  and  smiled  again. 
And  I  saw  the  light  in  her  eyes,  though 
it  was  nearly  dark.  "And  have  you 
known  many  governesses,  fisherman? " 

"  None,"  said  I.  "  But  my  name  is 
Adam." 

"  You  said  Thomas." 

"  Eve,"  I  replied,  with  firmness,  "  I 
said  Adam." 

"  Well,  then,  Adam,  what  else  ? " 

"  Boots,"  I  answered,  —  "  rubber 
boots.  See  mine." 

It  was  not  light  enough,  but  she  had 
seen. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  but  governesses 
do  not  have  rubber  boots." 


24  THE    CLAMMER 

"  They  should,"  said  I,  "  for  the  grass 
is  wet  even  now,  and  it  is  long.  But  I 
will  bring  you  some." 

"  Oh,"  she  began,  and  stopped.  And 
I  knew  she  blushed,  though  I  could 
not  see. 

"  And  I  wonder,"  she  went  on,  "  if 
that  queer  fellow  would  let  me  dig, 
too." 

"  He  would." 

"  You  seem  very  sure,  fisherman." 

"  Adam,"  I  corrected. 

"Well,  then,  Adam." 

"  I  am  sure,"  I  said;  "  and  besides,  I 
shall  not  tell  him." 

"  It  is  very  dark,"  she  observed. 
"  The  twilight  is  quite  gone." 

"  Not  quite  gone.  See  the  west." 
Indeed,  there  was  a  light  streak  in  the 
west,  and  the  bearded  hill  was  marked 
against  it. 


THE    CLAMMER  25 

"  I  must  go  in,"  she  said ;  but  she 
did  not  rise. 

"  Not  yet,"  I  urged. 

"  I  must  go  in,"  she  repeated,  "  or 
they  will  send  for  me."  And  this  time 
she  rose. 

"  I  will  go  with  you,"  I  insisted. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  you  will  stay. 
Good-night,  fisherman." 

"  Adam,"  I  corrected.  "  Governesses 
should  have  better  memories." 

She  laughed.  I  loved  to  hear  her 
laugh,  and  I  would  have  seen  her  eyes. 

"  Good-night,  Adam." 

"  Good-night,  Eve.    To-morrow  "  — 

But  she  was  gone,  swiftly,  and  I 
stayed,  as  I  was  commanded.  And  my 
heart  was  beating  as  no  clammer's 
should.  For  a  heart-beat  of  above 
seventy  a  minute  is  not  fitting  for  a 
clammer.  I  sat,  that  night,  with  my 


26  THE    CLAMMER 

book  in  my  lap,  staring  into  the  dark 
shadows,  and  my  candle  sputtered  and 
went  out.  Will  this  new  light  go  out 
of  my  life,  too  ? 

I  sat  upon  the  edge  of  the  bank,  just 
where  the  sod  breaks  off  to  the  sand, 
and  I  stared  at  the  red  sun,  and  he 
stared  back  at  me.  I  sat  close  beside 
the  place  where  the  governess  had  sat, 
-  very  close,  —  but  that  place  was 
vacant.  For  perhaps,  I  thought,  per 
haps  —  And  the  old  sun  spread  his 
colors  lavishly  over  the  still  water  and 
upon  the  wet  sand ;  his  purples  and 
his  reds  and  his  dainty  shades  of  pink 
and  blue  and  green.  If  I  could  mix  my 
colors  like  that  —  or  are  they  mixed  ? 
My  scientific  training  does  not  help  me 
much.  It  does  not  tell  me  why  the 
colors  are  now  brighter  than  they  were 


THE    CLAMMER  27 

yesterday,  and  now  sombre.  There  is 
more  than  one  kind  of  reflection,  and 
science  knows  them  not.  And,  as  I 
stared  and  wondered  —  for  these  things 
are  marvels  —  came  a  sweet  voice  be 
hind  me,  and  my  heart  leaped  up  into 
my  throat  and  choked  me.  And  I  did 
not  stop  to  reflect  that  it  was  not  my 
heart  at  all,  but  some  ganglion  or 
plexus  or  what  not.  What  cared  I  for 
ganglion  or  plexus  ? 

"  Fisherman,"  said  the  sweet  voice, 
"  you  are  early." 

"Eve,"  said  I,  —  and  my  voice  was 
steady,  — "  may  a  man  come  too  early 
to  Paradise  ?  The  woman  comes  after 
—  though  I  have  all  my  ribs." 

"  Fisherman,"  she  said,  "  you  are  a 
strange  man." 

"  So  I  have  heard,"  I  answered. 
"  But  you  forget.  A  governess  should 


28  THE    CLAMMER 

have  a  better  memory.  I  wonder  that 
you  can  teach." 

"  I  am  but  a  passable  teacher,  Adam. 
I  cannot  even  teach  well  enough  for 
one." 

"  Well  enough  for  two,  if  we  be  the 
two.  For  I  am  learning." 

"  Adam,"  she  said,  "  I  might  speak 
seriously  to  you.  I  ought  to  be  angry 
with  you  "  — 

"  But  you  are  not.  It  is  strange  how 
seldom  we  are  what  we  should  be.  I 
should  call  you '  lady,'  as  though  I  were 
a  car  conductor,  and  be  most  respect 
ful,  as  befitteth  a  fisherman  "  — 

"  But  you  are  not    Why,  Adam  ? " 

"  How  should  I  know  ?  It  is  the 
nature  that  God  gave  me.  And  those 
who  stand  nearest  to  nature  —  well,  I 
am  learning.  Come  and  sit  here,  Eve, 
where  I  can  see  you." 


THE    CLAMMER  29 

"  Now,  Adam,  really  —  you  must 
learn.  Even  a  fisherman  should  not 
need  to  be  told  to  stand  "  — 

"  Your  pardon,  madam,"  I  cried, 
standing.  "You  are  right,  and  as  I 
said,  I  am  but  a  passable  fisherman. 
Did  the  first  man  stand,  in  Paradise  ? 
Probably  he  ran.  But  I  do  not,  for  I 
can  see  you  well  as  we  are  —  and  that 
light  on  your  hair,  Eve  "  — 

She  stamped  her  foot.  "  Fisherman," 
she  cried,  "  it  is  too  much.  I  will  not 
stay.  Remember  that "  — 

"  I  am  a  fisherman.  I  will,"  I  said. 
"  And  you  are  a  governess." 

Then  she  laughed,  which  was  what 
I  wanted.  I  was  missing  the  sun's 
good-night,  but  what  of  that  ?  For  I 
might  see  his  marvels  half  the  days  in 
the  year ;  but  this  marvel  that  I  saw  — 
how  many  days  ?  I  wished,  —  but  my 


30  THE   CLAMMER 

wishes  are  vain.  Still,  there  was  I, 
looking  up,  and  there  was  she,  looking 
down  and  smiling  yet,  and  the  glory 
of  the  west  was  in  her  eyes  and  on  her 
hair. 

"  Turn,  fisherman,"  she  said,  "  or  you 
will  miss  your  good-night  to  the  sun." 

"  What  I  see  pleases  me  better,"  I 
said.  "  But  stand  beside  me,  and  we 
will  bid  him  good-night  together." 

So  she  stood  beside  me,  which  was 
a  marvel,  and  the  sun  rested  his  red 
rim  on  the  bearded  hill,  and  we  saw 
him  sink.  And  as  the  last  thin  line  of 
red  vanished  behind  the  hill,  I  saluted, 
and  so  did  she.  And  then  she  laughed. 
I  love  a  ready  laugh,  —  mine  is  not 
ready,  but  has  to  be  pumped  out,  with  a 
great  noise, — and  such  an  one  as  hers — 

"  Now,  Adam,"  she  said,  "  we  must 
dig.  We  have  wasted  time." 


THE    CLAMMER  31 

"  No,"  I  answered,  "  for  the  beds  are 
but  now  uncovered.  See  the  colors, 
Eve.  What  would  you  give  to  paint 
like  that  ?  There  is  but  one  Painter." 

"  One  could  never  learn,"  she  said, 
"  there  is  so  much  to  learn." 

"  But  we  are  learning  every  day." 

"  And  what  have  you  learned  to-day, 
Adam  ? " 

"  Many  things." 

"  From  the  sun  ?  " 

"  From  the  sun,"  I  answered,  "  and 
from  you." 

"  From  me  ! "  she  cried.  "  What 
have  you  learned  from  me,  fisher 
man  ? " 

"  Some  day  I  will  tell  you,  gover 
ness,"  I  said. 

"  What  day,  fisherman  ?  " 

"  When  we  dig  for  clams  at  dawn." 

"  And  when  will  that  day  be  ?  " 


32  THE    CLAMMER 

"In  more  than  one  week,  and  less 
than  two." 

"And  why  not  any  day,  Adam, — 
when  I  will  ?  " 

"  The  tide,  Eve.  Even  a  woman  must 
wait  for  the  tide.  See,  it  has  made  us 
late  to-night." 

"  Come,  fisherman,"  she  said,  "  let  us 
dig  quickly,  or  it  will  be  too  late." 

So  I  drew  the  boots  from  my  basket, 
and  she  took  them. 

"Fisherman,"  she  said,  "these  are 
new.  Where  did  you  get  them  ?  " 

"  I  had  them,"  I  replied  ;  which  was 
true.  I  had  had  them  since  the  morn 
ing. 

She  sat  behind  a  tree  and  put  them 
on,  and  I  heard  her  laughing  to  her 
self.  Then  she  came  forth. 

"  They  are  too  large,"  she  said,  "  but 
it  does  not  matter." 


THE    CLAMMER  33 

I  might  have  known  it.  But  what 
know  I  of  women's  boots  ? 

"  My  stock  is  small,"  I  answered. 
"  I  had  no  other  size."  And  that  was 
true,  too. 

So  I  showed  her  how  to  dig,  and 
when  her  hoe  broke  through  a  shell, 
she  almost  wept.  But  she  dug  six. 

"  I  am  tired,"  she  said  then.  "  I  will 
dig  no  more  to-night.  Does  your  back 
get  tired,  too  ?  " 

"  Not  now,"  said  I,  "  but  it  did  at 
first." 

Then  she  sat  behind  the  tree  and 
changed  the  boots,  and  we  hung  them 
in  the  tree  against  another  time.  And 
then  we  sat  upon  the  bank,  for  the 
colors  had  not  faded.  And  Eve  sat 
silent,  gazing  at  the  water  and  the 
western  sky;  and  I  sat  silent  and  gazed 
up  at  her. 


34  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Eve,"  said  I. 

She  turned  and  looked  at  me,  but 
did  not  speak. 

"  I  think  many  things,"  I  said,  "  and 
some  of  them  I  would  say." 

"  No,"  she  answered,  "  do  not  say 
them.  Watch  the  sky  and  the  water 
while  the  colors  last.  See,  it  is  almost 
dark." 

"  The  water  and  the  sky  are  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  Eve,  so  far 
as  I  am  concerned.  But  you  —  no,  I 
must  make  the  most  of  what  I  have." 

"  Fisherman,"  she  said,  "  you  must 
not  speak  so  to  me." 

"  And  why  not,  governess  ?  Does  it 
displease  you?  May  a  fisherman  not 
say  his  say  to  a  governess  ?  If  I  were 
a  —  what  must  I  be,  to  rank  with  a 
governess  ?  Would  my  speech  offend 
you  then?" 


THE   CLAMMER  35 

"  Adam,"  she  answered, "  I  came  here 
to  dig  for  clams." 

"  Truly,"  said  I,  "  we  did,  and  to  see 
the  sun  go  down." 

"  And  the  sun  is  gone,  and  the  clams 
are  digged,  and  I  must  go." 

"  Eve,"  I  observed,  "  you  are  a  lo 
gician." 

"  I  am  not,"  she  replied.  "I  am  a 
woman." 

"  Heaven  be  praised  for  that ! "  I 
cried.  "  A  perfect  work ! " 

"  Adam,"  she  said,  and  she  was  half 
laughing  as  she  spoke,  "  I  ought  to  be 
angry  with  you." 

"You  ought  not,"  I  answered,  "for 
it  heats  the  blood  and  causes  vapors  in 
the  brain.  Or  so  the  ancient  writers 
tell  us.  Besides,  I  do  not  like  it." 

"  Like  a  woman's  postscript,"  said 
she.  "  You  are  a  strange  fisherman." 


36  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Truly,"  I  said,  "  I  am.  But  see  the 
water  and  the  sky,  Eve.  What  peace 
and  tranquillity !  Can  you  feel  anger 
when  you  look  upon  that  ?  And  what 
am  I  ?  The  grass  of  the  field,  and  to 
morrow  I  shall  be  cast  into  the  oven. 
For  to-morrow  it  will  be  hot." 

"  You  speak  much  nonsense,  Adam." 

"  Nonsense  is  the  savor  of  life, 
Eve." 

She  said  nothing,  but  sat  there,  with 
her  hands  clasped  about  her  knees,  and 
I  gazed  up  at  her  and  was  content. 
And  the  twilight  faded  and  was  gone. 

"  Now  I  must  go,"  she  said  at  last. 

She  rose,  regretfully,  I  thought,  and 
the  thought  gave  me  joy.  And  that 
was  marvel,  too;  for  what  was  this  gov 
erness  to  me  —  this  governess  whom 
I  had  seen  but  twice  ?  But  that  unruly 
ganglion  of  mine  — 


THE    CLAMMER  37 

"  Adam,"  she  said,  smiling  down  at 
me,  "  you  have  not  scolded  me.  My 
gown  "  — 

"  Your  gown  is  well  enough,"  I  an 
swered  ;  "  too  good  for  clamming,  but 
I  suppose  it  is  the  worst  you  could  do. 
If  I  said  more  of  it,  it  would  be  that 
you  look  adorable  in  that  gown  —  or 
any  other.  But  I  must  not  say  it,  or 
you  will  be  angry." 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  you  must  not  say 
that,  for  anger  heats  the  blood  and 
causes  vapors  in  the  brain,  and  I  have 
enough  already.  It  is  the  oldest  gown 
I  have  —  and  the  shortest." 

"  It  is  "  — 

"  Never  mind.  If  it  is  wasteful  and 
wicked,  I  cannot  help  it.  Will  it  do 
for  digging  clams  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  We  may  not  dig  clams  to-morrow." 

"  And  why  not,  Adam,  —  if  I  will  ?  " 


38  THE    CLAMMER 

"  The  tide.  It  will  be  too  late.  But 
the  sun  will  go  down." 

"  Good-night,  Adam.  You  may  have 
the  clams  I  dug." 

"  If  I  could  press  them,  Eve,  like 
flowers !  Good-night." 

And  again  I  sat  through  an  evening 
too  long  for  a  clammer;  and,  though 
my  book  was  in  my  hand,  and  my 
candle  burned  bright  and  clear,  I  did 
not  read,  but  I  stared  into  the  dark 
shadows.  And  from  those  shadows 
there  shone  out  that  wonderful  hair 
with  the  light  upon  it  from  the  west 
ern  sky;  and  those  wonderful  eyes, 
with  the  light  in  them  from  the  soul 
within.  Oh,  Eve,  Eve!  And  I  have 
seen  you  only  twice. 

There  is  a  restlessness  that  seizes 
upon  men  in  certain  case.  I  have  seen 


THE    CLAMMER  39 

it  often,  and  wondered  at  the  poor  fools 
who  turned  from  this  to  that,  then  tried 
the  other  thing,  and  found  no  satisfac 
tion  in  any.  And  I  have  laughed  at 
them  and  counseled  them  to  turn  to 
clamming.  And  there  is  a  cure  for  that 
malady,  too ;  a  simple  cure,  as  simple 
as  the  fount  of  eternal  youth.  It  is 
only  to  find  it  and  the  thing  is  done. 
And  some  find  the  fount,  and  some  do 
not.  And  those  who  find  it,  why,  eter 
nal  youth  is  theirs,  and  joy  and  peace 
are  in  their  abiding  places  forever.  And 
those  who  find  it  not,  why,  Heaven 
help  them  !  For  there  is  no  peace  for 
them  nor  rest  on  earth. 

So  it  befell  that  I  rose  before  the 
dawn,  and  went  forth.  And  there,  with 
out,  was  a  fog  as  thick  as  cheese.  But 
though  I  could  not  see  ten  fathoms, 
yet  I  looked  out  toward  my  clam  beds. 


40  THE   CLAMMER 

And  then  I  thought :  You  poor  fool, 
shall  she  come  down  in  this  thickness, 
at  four  in  the  morning,  looking  for 
clams  ?  And  yet  again,  I  took  my 
basket  and  wandered  in  that  fog  like 
a  lost  soul.  And  the  more  fool  I,  for 
the  tide  was  not  half  down,  and  no 
dawn  to  see.  And  as  I  wandered  along 
the  shore,  angry  and  out  of  sorts,  strik 
ing  with  my  hoe  in  the  sand,  I  met 
one  of  my  neighbors ;  and  as  he  passed 
behind  me,  I  heard  him  laughing  in 
the  fog. 

And  my  breakfast  was  no  better. 
My  fresh-gathered  eggs  were  bitter  in 
my  mouth,  and  they  tasted  of  sulphur; 
and  my  coffee  was  gray  that  should 
have  been  a  rich  red-brown  like  the 
copper  beech  ;  and  my  rolls  were  lead 
or  cotton,  I  knew  not  which.  I  lighted 
my  pipe  and  went  out. 


THE    CLAMMER  41 

The  hot  sun  was  burning  off  the 
fog.  I  stood  at  the  foot  of  my  garden, 
where  I  have  a  seat  against  the  trunk 
of  an  old  pine,  and  I  watched  the  fog 
writhing  and  twisting  in  the  anguish 
of  defeat  and  dissolution,  vanishing 
into  the  hot  air  above  in  little  jets  and 
shreds,  rolling  away  over  the  water  to 
the  ocean,  a  far  gray  bank.  And  the 
waters  of  the  bay  danced  in  the  sun, 
and  dazzled  my  eyes.  So,  for  some 
while  I  paced  there,  back  and  forth. 
Then  I  heaved  a  sigh  and  sat  me  upon 
my  seat,  and  the  great  pine  whispered 
softly  above  me ;  but  I  fidgeted  upon 
the  seat  and  found  no  peace. 

So,  all  day,  I  wandered  the  shores, 
and  I  dug  no  clams,  but  found  myself 
picking  shells  and  pebbles  of  bright 
colors.  And  in  the  early  afternoon  I 
stood  by  our  clam  beds  —  Eve's  and 


42  THE    CLAMMER 

mine  —  and  looked  up  through  all  the 
greenery  toward  the  great  house,  and 
saw  the  gleam  of  dresses.  And  I  left 
my  basket  by  the  bank  and  turned  and 
ran,  —  like  the  fool  I  was.  Why  did  I 
run  ?  For  as  the  sun  was  low,  and  my 
pulse  high,  I  wandered  once  more  over 
to  that  place.  And  as  I  came  near, 
behold  there  on  the  bank  sat  Eve. 
And  at  the  sight,  that  ganglion  which 
serves  me  for  a  heart  began  its  rioting 
so  that  I  nearly  choked.  But  I  came 
nearer  yet,  and  sat  me  down  beside 
her,  and  she  smiled  at  me.  And  then 
I  found  that  peace  I  had  sought  all  day. 

"  Fisherman,"  she  said,  "you  are  not 
early  to-night." 

"  I  am  not,"  I  said,  "  and  yet  I  am. 
For  I  have  haunted  this  place  all  day, 
and  yet  I  feared  to  come  too  soon." 

She  did  not  ask  me  why,  but  pointed 


THE   CLAMMER  43 

to  my  basket.  "  Are  these  your  gather- 
ings?" 

I  nodded. 

"Why,  Adam?  They  are  not  clams — 
nor  fish." 

"  I  do  not  know,  Eve.  I  have  done 
strange  things  to-day." 

"  Are  they  for  me  ?  " 

"  What  shall  a  governess  do  with 
pebbles  ? " 

"  They  might  be  useful  in  my  teach 
ing,  Adam.  Are  they  for  me  ?  " 

"  If  you  will.  Anything  I  have  is 
yours  "  — 

"  Fisherman,  remember  " 

"  Eve,  Eve,  how  shall  I  remember, 
with  you  sitting  beside  me,  and  your 
eyes  smiling,  and  that  light  upon  your 
hair?" 

"  Then  I  will  not  smile  nor  sit  be 
side  you.  And  so  I  must  go"  — 


44  THE    CLAMMER 

"  No,  no,"  I  cried.  "  Stay,  for  the 
pity  of  man.  I  will  remember,  —  or  I 
will  try.  I  cannot  promise  more.  A 
fisherman  and  a  governess  !  So  I  may 
not  give  you  the  pebbles,  Eve,  but  I 
will  bargain  with  you." 

"  For  what  ?  " 

"  For  that  rose  you  wear."  For  she 
wore  a  great  red  rose  upon  her  bosom. 

She  considered.  "  It  is  a  fair  bar 
gain,"  she  said  at  last,  "  and  I  agree. 
A  rose  for  your  pebbles." 

So  she  took  her  rose  and  fastened 
it  upon  my  coat.  And  I  did  not  speak 
nor  thank  her,  for  I  could  not.  What 
foolish  thing  should  I  have  said  ?  It 
was  hard  enough  not  to  kiss  the  hand 
so  near  my  lips.  And  we  sat  there  a 
long  while  in  silence,  she  looking  at 
the  west,  and  I  gazing  up  at  her  or 
idly  sticking  the  little  pebbles  in  the 


THE    CLAMMER  45 

sod.  And  when  the  sun  was  gone  and 
she  rose  to  go,  she  saw  the  pebbles, 
and  they  made  two  words,  ADAM 
and  EVE.  I  thought  she  would  have 
stamped  upon  them,  but  she  did  not. 
She  only  smiled  and  bade  me  good 
night. 

And  so  for  days  I  lived  in  purga 
tory  and  in  paradise,  wandering  the 
shore,  without  purpose  save  to  pass 
the  endless  day  till  sunset  ;  and  at 
evening  I  sat  with  Eve  upon  the 
bank  until  the  twilight  faded,  and 
she  left  me.  And  the  weeds  sprang 
in.  my  garden,  and  my  neighbors 
laughed  at  me  more  than  ever.  For 
I  went  clamming  at  high  tide.  And 
upon  my  mantel,  between  two  plates 
of  glass  that  were  cunningly  bound 
about  the  edges,  was  a  red  rose. 

Then,  one  evening,  I  waited  there 


46  THE    CLAMMER 

upon  the  bank  and  no  Eve  came. 
And  I  fretted  and  fumed  and  mourned 
until  I  bethought  me  of  the  great 
stone.  Without  hope,  I  looked  be 
neath  ;  and,  wonder  of  wonders,  there 
was  a  scrap  of  paper  with  its  mes 
sage.  "  They  will  not  let  me  come 
to-night."  And  I  acted  like  the  fool  I 
was,  and  kissed  the  dainty  thing,  and 
thrust  it  in  my  pocket,  and  pulled 
it  out  again  a  dozen  times.  Never 
having  seen  her  writing,  I  should 
know  it,  it  was  so  like  her.  And  I 
tore  a  corner,  though  I  hated  to,  — 
I  had  no  other  paper,  —  and  wrote, 
"We  miss  you,  the  sun  and  I.  Eve, 
Eve,  do  not  fail  to-morrow.  Do  not 
shut  the  gates  upon  me  yet."  And 
I  put  it  beneath  the  stone  and  went 
away. 

And  in  the  morning  the  sky  was 


THE    CLAMMER  47 

gray,  with  low-hanging  clouds,  heavy 
and  wet.  And  by  afternoon  there  was 
a  driving  drizzle,  and  my  heart  sank. 
But  I  went.  I  would  not  fail,  though 
I  had  no  hope.  And  there,  leaning 
against  a  tree,  stood  Eve,  the  water 
dripping  from  her  wide  felt  hat,  and 
shining  upon  her  long  coat.  And  she 
smiled  at  me  as  I  came,  and  I  could 
not  speak ;  but  I  looked  at  her  un 
til  the  slow  flush  mounted  to  her 
forehead. 

"  Eve,"  I  said  at  last,  "  how  shall  a 
fisherman  remember,  when  you  stand 
so,  before  him,  —  and  on  such  a  day?  " 

"  Why,  fisherman,"  she  said  lightly, 
"  it  is  a  good  day.  I  find  this  weather 
as  good  as  any  other,  —  in  fair  mea 
sure." 

"  It  pleases  me,"  I  said,  "  although 
this  morning  it  did  not." 


48  THE   CLAMMER 

Then,  deliberately,  I  went  to  the 
great  stone  and  turned  it  up,  and  my 
paper  was  gone.  And  Eve  watched 
me,  and  again  the  slow  flush  mounted 
to  her  forehead,  but  she  said  nothing. 
And  as  we  stood  together  under  the 
tree,  there  was  a  constraint  upon  us 
both.  The  things  that  I  would  say  I 
might  not,  and  for  the  light  things 
that  I  might  say,  I  had  no  heart. 

And  the  next  day,  too,  it  rained, 
but  I  cared  not.  And  again  we  stood 
together  under  the  tree,  Eve  and  I, 
and  as  we  stood  there,  the  clouds 
parted  and  showed  the  sun  sinking  in 
splendor.  And  I  saw  a  greater  glory 
than  I  had  seen.  And  when  the  sun 
was  gone,  there  was  the  young  moon 
following. 

"  Peace  on  earth,"  I  said ;  but  she 
did  not  speak. 


THE    CLAMMER  49 

So  for  some  while  we  stood  silent, 
and  I  saw  the  gold  and  the  red  fade 
from  the  clouds,  and  the  clouds  them 
selves  were  gone,  deep  banks  of  in 
digo,  into  the  east.  Then  the  western 
sky  was  grown  violet  and  a  green 
like  the  curl  of  a  wave,  till,  overhead, 
it  became  the  night.  And  I  looked 
at  Eve,  and  her  look  smote  upon 
my  heart,  for  it  was  troubled.  But  I 
might  not  say  the  thing  I  would ;  for 
shall  a  fisherman  so  speak  to  a  gover 
ness  to  the  Rich  ?  Even  a  governess 
to  the  Rich  may  have  her  woes,  it 
seems,  and  it  is  no  fisherman's  part  — 

"  Eve,"  I  said.  And  she  started,  as 
though  her  thoughts  were  wandering. 

"  Eve,"  I  said  again,  "  would  you 
dig  for  clams  at  dawn  ?  For  the 
beds  will  be  uncovered  by  dawn  to 
morrow." 


5o  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Oh,"  she  answered,  "  will  they  ? 
And  is  it  a  joy  to  see  the  dawn  ? " 

"  Did  you  never  see  a  dawn,  Eve  ?  " 

"  Never.    Have  I  missed  much  ?  " 

"  If  you  see  one,  Eve,  you  will 
know  how  much." 

"  I  would  like  to  see  a  dawn,"  she 
said.  And  then  she  was  silent,  and  I 
thought  her  near  to  tears,  and  a  great 
fear  came  upon  me. 

"  Now,  Adam,"  she  said,  at  last,  "  I 
must  go.  Good-night." 

Then  she  turned  and  listened. 
"  They  are  coming  for  me  now.  Run, 
Adam." 

"  Run  ! "  I  cried.  "  Run,  when  I 
stand  upon  my  own  ?  Why  should  I 
run  ?  No,  I  will  stay.  And  they  shall 
do  nothing  to  you  against  your  will." 

I  had  forgotten  that  I  was  a  fisher 
man,  but  Eve  did  not  note  it.  "  Run, 


THE    CLAMMER  51 

Adam,"  she  cried,  beseeching.   "  If  you 
care  for  my  peace,  run." 

And  so  I  ran,  like  any  poacher. 
And  that  night,  sitting  staring  into 
the  shadows,  I  wondered. 

My  clam  beds  —  mine  and  Eve's  — 
have  many  virtues.  From  them  I  can 
see  both  east  and  west ;  from  that  point 
neither  dawn  nor  sunset  escapes  me. 
And  another  virtue  they  had  had  for 
me,  that  was  more  than  dawn  or  sun 
set.  And  what  that  was,  any  man  who 
has  been  in  such  case  as  mine  will 
know  without  the  telling.  So,  though 
I  loved  the  dawn,  it  was  more  than 
that  that  brought  me  stealing  through 
the  early  gray  of  morning  to  the  bank, 
just  where  the  sod  breaks  off  to  the 
sand. 

There  I  sat  and  waited,  alone,  and 


52  THE    CLAMMER 

I  watched  the  gray  brighten  in  the 
east,  and  hoped  that  Eve  would  not 
be  too  late.  And  just  as  the  gray  be 
came  a  tender  blue,  and  hope  was 
leaving  me,  there  was  the  light  step 
behind  me,  and  I  rose  and  stood,  as 
a  fisherman  should  stand  before  a 
governess.  And  Eve  did  not  speak  to 
me,  for  she  saw  the  east. 

"  Oh  !  "  she  cried  softly. 

And  she  said  no  word  more,  but 
there  we  stood  together.  And  we  saw 
the  blue  brighten  and  become  suf 
fused  with  pink,  and  there  in  the  east 
ern  sky  lay  a  great  rose  that  stretched 
its  petals  to  the  zenith.  And  in  the 
heart  of  that  rose  was  a  little  cloud 
like  a  flame,  with  one  long  finger 
pointed  straight  at  Eve  and  me.  And 
all  those  soft  tints  of  blue  and  pink, 
with  the  flame  of  the  little  cloud,  were 


THE    CLAMMER  53 

spread  upon  the  water  that  was  but 
just  stirring  in  its  sleep,  and  dim 
pling  here  and  there.  Then  was  the  lit 
tle  flame-cloud  edged  with  gold  upon 
its  lower  side,  and  shot  through  with 
orange  lights,  and  the  pink  rose  turned 
to  saffron  and  then  to  orange,  and  the 
rim  of  the  sea  was  luminous,  like  molten 
gold.  And  on  a  sudden  the  gold  and 
orange  fled  from  the  little  cloud,  and 
a  great  blazing  fire  showed  above  the 
sea. 

"  The  sun,  Eve,"  I  whispered ;  and 
as  I  spoke,  a  little  breeze  flashed 
across  the  water  and  darkened  it  like 
a  breath  upon  a  mirror.  And  there 
was  the  great  disk  of  the  sun  half 
risen,  and  we  might  no  longer  look 
him  in  the  face. 

And  at  that  Eve  fetched  a  great 
sigh,  and  turned,  and  the  chorus  of 


54  THE   CLAMMER 

the  birds  broke  forth  in  the  trees  be 
hind  us.  They  had  been  calling  back 
and  forth  before,  but  now  they  sang 
madly.  The  old  earth  had  waked  once 
more,  and  it  was  day. 

"  Adam,"  said  Eve,  "  I  thank  you." 

Then  she  sat  upon  the  bank,  where 
the  colored  pebbles  still  marked  the 
names, and  I  sat  there  beside  her;  and 
for  some  while  we  spoke  not,  but  lis 
tened  to  the  mad  music  of  the  birds. 
Then  Eve  would  dig  for  clams. 

"  What  matter,  Eve  ?  "  I  asked.  "  The 
clams  will  be  the  bigger  for  waiting. 
We  have  seen  the  dawn,  and  we  may 
see  the  day  grow." 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  we  have  seen  the 
dawn.  I  did  not  dream  it  could  be 
like  that.  There  are  no  words,  Adam. 
And  I  would  see  the  day  grow.  But 
for  my  conscience'  sake  I  must  dig." 


THE   CLAMMER  55 

"  Eve,"  I  said,  "  a  conscience  is  a 
most  distressing  comrade.  Does  a  gov 
erness  have  a  conscience  —  a  gover 
ness  to  the  Rich  ? " 

"  Does  not  a  fisherman  ? "  she  asked. 

"  He  cannot  afford  it,"  I  replied.  "  It 
is  a  luxury  not  for  the  poor  nor  for 
the  very  rich." 

"  But  a  governess  is  not  very  rich. 
And  if  she  were,  she  yet  might  have 
a  conscience.  I  have." 

"  And  does  it  plague  you  ? " 

11  Yes,"  she  said.  "  Come,  let  us  dig, 
and  I  will  tell  you." 

I,  too,  had  somewhat  that  I  would 
tell,  and  presently  we  were  digging. 
And  Eve  dug  in  silence,  and  gently, 
for  she  would  not  harm  the  clams. 

"  Well,  Eve  ? "  I  said,  when  I  was 
wearied  of  the  silence. 

She  was  so  long  in  speaking  that  I 


56  THE    CLAMMER 

feared  she  never  would.   "  Adam,"  she 

asked,  at  last,  "are  you  a  wise  man  ?  " 

"  Very,"  I  answered  ;  "  wiser  than 
Solomon.  He  had  seven  hundred 
wives,  and  I  have  none." 

"And  is  that  wise,  —  to  have  none?" 

"  Eve,  Eve,"  I  cried,  "  you  do  not 
help  me.  I  jest  because  I  fear  to  speak 
in  earnest." 

"  You  are  good,  Adam,"  she  said. 
"  And  if  you  are  wise,  you  may  tell 
me  what  to  do." 

"  If  you  would  do  what  I  tell  you ! " 

She  was  bending  very  low  over  her 
digging,  and  her  face  was  turned  away, 
which  did  not  please  me.  I  like  to  see 
her  face. 

"  I  fear  that  I  may  lose  my  place," 
she  said. 

I  straightened  up  at  that,  but  she 
bent  lower  yet. 


THE    CLAMMER  57 

"Lose  your  place!"  I  cried.  "And 
why  ? " 

"  Why  —  they  —  it  is  not  easy  to 
tell  you,  Adam." 

"  I  will  not  urge  you,  Eve,  but "  — 

"  You  need  not.  I  wish  to  tell  you, 
for  I  —  a  governess  may  not  always 
stand  alone.  She  is  a  woman,  after 
all." 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "thank  God!" 

"They  —  they  would" —  She  be 
gan  to  laugh,  a  nervous  laugh  and  with 
no  mirth  in  it,  —  "they  would  marry 
me,  Adam." 

"  What ! "  I  cried.    "  They  would  — 

who  would  marry  you  ?   Not  old  Good- 

•    i " 
win ! 

"  No,"  she  said ;  and  laughed  the 
more,  and  seemed  really  merry  at  it. 
"  Now  I  feel  better.  Not  old  Goodwin. 
He  has  a  wife." 


58  THE    CLAMMER 

I  was  puzzled. 

"  Who,  then,  Eve  ?  Who  would 
marry  you  ?  I  doubt  not  there  are 
many  who  would,  for  I  know" 

"  It  is  old  Goodwin's  wife,"  she  said, 
breaking  me  off  short,  and  just  in  time. 

Then  she  stood  straight.  "  Now, 
Adam,"  she  went  on,  "  I  am  not  so 
nervous  as  I  was,  but  I  may  laugh  or 
I  may  cry  with  no  reason.  I  will  sit 
upon  the  bank  and  tell  you,  for  truly  I 
am  in  straits.  And  do  you  bear  with 
me,  for  you  are  honest,  and  I  may 
trust  you.  And  indeed  I  know  no  other 
I  may  trust  —  but  one." 

"A  governess  advised  in  matrimony 
by  a  fisherman ! "  I  said.  "  And  who 
is  that  one,  Eve  ?  " 

"  You  shall  hear.  And  do  not  jest, 
Adam,  or  my  laughter  may  turn  to 
tears.  They  are  near  enough.  And 


THE   CLAMMER  59 

now  for  the  story,  which  is  a  short 
one.  Old  Goodwin's  wife  would  marry 
me  to  a  certain  rich  man,  —  for  my 
worldly  good,  as  she  says." 

"  A  certain  rich  man,"  I  said,  mus 
ing.  "  And  will  he  enter  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven  ? " 

"  That  he  will  not." 

"  Then  why  doubt  ?  And  do  you 
love  him,  Eve  ?  " 

"  I  do  not." 

"Then  why  doubt?" 

"  If  I  do  not,"  she  said,  "  I  shall  lose 
my  place.  And  that  is  much  to  me, 
Adam,  for  what  shall  I  do  then  ?  The 
man  whom  I  may  trust  is  old  Good 
win,  but  he  is  not  so  much  my  friend 
as  to  hold  against  his  wife." 

"And  what  said  you  to  the  man ? " 

"  I  said  no,  but  still  he  came.  And 
now  I  know  not  what  I  shall  say  next." 


60  THE   CLAMMER 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  what  to  do,  Eve?  " 

"  If  you  know,  Adam." 

"  Marry  me,"  I  said.  And  she  looked 
at  me  with  wide  eyes  and  laughed  ; 
and  at  that  laugh  I  was  sore  and  hurt, 
though  I  had  no  right.  Then  her  laugh 
died  and  her  eyes  filled. 

"  Forgive  me,  Adam,"  she  said.  "  I 
should  not  laugh,  but  indeed  I  am 
overwrought.  Truly  —  truly  I  might 
almost  find  it  in  my  heart  "  — 

I  stood  before  her,  trembling.  "  I 
should  not  have  said  it,  Eve.  What  is 
a  fisherman,  that  he  should  offer  the 
little  that  he  has  to  you  ?  But  I  am 
well-to-do,  Eve, — for  a  fisherman.  You 
should  never  want  —  nor  work.  And 
if  you  might  find  it  in  your  heart" 

"  I  will  consider  your  offer,  good 
fisherman,"  she  said,  smiling.  "  I  must 
consider.  You  have  —  I  must  tell  you, 


THE    CLAMMER  61 

in  justice,  you  have  an  even  chance 
with  that  other.  But  I  must  con 
sider." 

"  So  an  honest  fisherman,  well-to-do, 
has  an  even  chance  with  a  rich  rascal 
whom  you  do  not  love.  That  is  a  high 
price  on  honesty,  Eve." 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  but  not  too  high. 
And  now,  Adam,  be  my  good  friend 
still." 

"  I  will,"  I  replied,  "  if  I  may  not  be 
more." 

So  she  was  silent,  and  so  was  I.  And 
presently  I  reached  down  to  my  basket 
and  drew  forth  a  package  wrapped  in 
a  napkin. 

"  Governess,"  I  asked,  "  are  you,  by 
chance,  hungry?  " 

"  Fisherman,"  she  answered,  "  I  am 
famished  ;  but  not  by  chance.  Open, 
quickly." 


62  THE   CLAMMER 

So  I  unwrapped  the  package,  and 
in  it  were  slices  of  white  bread,  cut 
thin,  and  between,  lettuce  picked  that 
morning,  crisp  and  cool.  And  we  ate 
together,  and  Eve  grew  merry,  and  my 
content  came  back  to  me. 

"  Fisherman,"  she  said  at  last,  "  I 
thank  you.  Now  I  must  go." 

"  Thank  me  for  what,  Eve  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  sandwiches  I  meant," 
she  said. 

"And  how  long  must  you  consider? 
When  shall  I  have  my  answer  ? " 

"  Your  answer  ?  Oh,  when  I  come 
to  your  clambake." 

"  It  shall  be  to-morrow,"  I  said. 

"  Oh,  not  so  soon,"  she  cried. 

"  The  day  after,  then." 

She  hesitated.  "  Well,"  she  said, 
"good-by." 

"  I  shall  come  here  for  you,  Eve." 


THE    CLAMMER  63 

But  she  was  gone,  and  I  went,  too, 
my  brain  in  turmoil. 

Down  under  my  great  pine  is  a 
pleasant  place  for  a  man  —  or  for  a 
governess,  I  should  suppose  —  with 
a  heart  at  ease.  And  for  a  fisherman 
whose  heart  is  not  at  ease  it  serves  as 
well  as  any  place  but  one,  and  that 
one  not  fixed,  but  moving  as  she 
moves.  And  for  a  certain  rich  man  it 
might,  indeed,  be  pleasant  under  my 
pine,  but  not  if  I  could  make  it  other 
wise.  And  there  was  the  seat  against 
the  tree,  and  from  that  seat  he  might 
see  my  favorite  clam  beds.  But  what 
would  rich  men  care  for  clam  beds  ? 
And,  for  the  seat,  why,  I  had  other 
views. 

It  was  there,  just  without  the  shadow 
of  the  pine,  that  the  hole  was  scooped 


64  THE    CLAMMER 

in  the  ground  and  lined  with  great 
stones.  And  on  these  stones  I  kindled 
a  fire  that  roared  high ;  and  when  it 
had  burned  long  and  the  stones  were 
hot,  I  raked  the  ashes  off.  Then  I 
shook  down  upon  the  stones  fresh 
seaweed  from  the  pile,  and  on  the 
seaweed  laid  the  clams  that  I  had 
digged,  myself — and  alone  —  that 
morning.  Then,  more  seaweed ;  and 
the  other  things,  in  layers,  orderly, 
with  the  clean,  salt-smelling  weed  be 
tween  :  the  lobsters,  green  and  crawl 
ing,  and  the  fish,  fresh  caught,  and  the 
chicken,  not  too  fresh,  and  the  sweet 
and  tender  corn,  and  sweet  potatoes. 
And  over  all  I  piled  the  weed  and 
made  a  dome  that  smoked  and  steamed 
and  filled  the  air  with  incense. 

Then,  my  work  done,  I   sat   there 
and  looked  out.   And  when  it  was  time 


THE    CLAMMER  65 

I  garbed  myself  and  set  forth.  And 
my  heart-beat  was  too  high,  by  far,  and 
there  was  a  faintness  at  my  throat. 
But  I  strode  along  the  shore  and  came 
to  our  bank,  where  the  colored  pebbles 
shone  in  the  sun,  ADAM  and  EVE. 
And  there  I  sat,  just  where  the  sod 
breaks  off  to  the  sand,  and  waited. 
And  presently  there  was  the  light  step 
I  knew  so  well,  and  up  came  my  heart 
into  my  throat  and  choked  me.  But  I 
stood,  as  a  fisherman  should  before  a 
governess,  and  turned. 

And  such  a  governess !  All  in  light, 
filmy  white,  with  two  red  roses  at  her 
bosom,  and  her  hair  a  glory.  And  her 
eyes, —  there  are  no  other  such  eyes 
as  hers,  —  her  eyes  smiled  at  me,  and 
then  they  opened  wide  in  wonder. 

"Adam,"  she  said,  "is  it  you?  Are 
you  my  fisherman  ? " 


66  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Truly,"  I  answered,  "  I  am  your 
fisherman,  whether  you  will  or  not,  — 
and  for  as  long  as  I  have  life." 

"  The  time  is  not  yet,  fisherman," 
she  said.  "  Remember." 

"  It  is  hard  to  remember,  governess, 
even  for  a  fisherman." 

"  I  did  not  know  you,  Adam,"  she 
said.  "  You  should  have  told  me." 

"  What,  Eve  ?  That  a  fisherman 
may  have  decent  raiment  ?  But  I  am 
well-to-do — for  a  fisherman." 

"  Come,"  said  she,  "  let  us  go,  or  we 
shall  be  late  to  the  clambake." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  I  answered, 
"  though  it  matters  not  if  we  are  late. 
For  there  is  but  one  guest." 

"  There  will  be  two,  Adam." 

"  Two!"  I  cried.  "  I  have  asked  but 
one.  If  it  is  that  certain  rich  man, 
I  give  you  warning  he  shall  have  no 


THE   CLAMMER  67 

clams  of  mine,  but  I  will  cast  him  into 
the  sea." 

"  It  is  my  father,  Adam,"  she  replied. 
"  He  is  here  and  would  see  a  clambake, 
so  I  asked  him." 

"  Your  father,  Eve  ?  Do  governesses 
have  fathers  ?  And  is  he  here  to  help 
you  ? " 

"  I  hope  that  he  will  help  me,"  she 
said.  "  I  think  he  will." 

And  she  smiled  brightly. 

My  heart  grew  cold,  and  froze  be 
neath  my  ribs.  "  Then,"  I  said,  "  you 
will  not  need  help  from  a  fisherman, 
governess." 

"Adam,"  she  said,  reproaching,  "let 
us  enjoy  our  clambake." 

"  That  is  good  doctrine,  Eve,"  said 
I,  "  and  I  will  do  my  best.  But  how 
will  your  father  know  "  — 

"  It  is  for  him  to  find  it,"  she  an- 


68  THE    CLAMMER 

swered,  "  and  he  may,  for  he  has  eyes 
and  a  nose.  Now  I  might  find  my 
way  straight  enough,  for  I  see  a  smok 
ing  mound  upon  that  point,  beneath 
the  pine.  It  seems  a  pleasant  place, 
Adam." 

"  That  queer  fellow  that  I  mentioned 
let  me  use  it,"  I  said  in  haste.  "  He  is 
from  home  just  now." 

"  He  seems  a  good  friend  of  yours," 
she  said. 

"At  times  I  think  he  is,"  I  said, 
"  and  at  other  times  he  is  the  poorest 
friend  I  know." 

As  we  talked  we  walked  along  the 
shore.  And  we  climbed  the  steep  path 
and  stood  beneath  the  pine.  The  dome 
of  seaweed  still  smoked  bravely,  and 
before  the  seat  against  the  pine  was 
set  a  little  table,  upon  stakes.  It  was 
just  large  enough  for  two,  and  upon  it 


THE    CLAMMER  69 

were  all  things  fitting  —  and  no  more. 
No  cloth,  only  the  bare  white  boards 
of  pine,  rubbed  smooth. 

"  Now,  governess,"  I  said,  "  the  bake 
is  done.  Do  you  sit  there,  and  I  will 
serve  you." 

"  No,  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  for  I  must 
help." 

She  always  had  her  will,  that  red- 
haired  governess.  So  I  took  my  fork 
and  opened  the  smoking  dome,  and 
together  we  set  upon  the  table  corn 
and  sweet  potatoes  and  a  chicken  and 
a  fish  and  the  lobsters ;  and,  last  of  all, 
a  great  pan  of  clams.  And  the  rest, 
upon  the  hot  stones,  I  covered  again 
with  seaweed.  And  as  I  pitched  the 
weed,  I  heard  Eve  laughing. 

"  Adam,"  she  said,  "  look  here.  And 
there  are  two  of  us." 

I  turned  and  saw  the  table  filled  to 


70  THE   CLAMMER 

overflowing,  and  no  place  left  large 
enough  to  set  a  plate ;  and  Eve  sitting 
on  the  seat,  and  laughing  so  that  tears 
stood  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  should  have  made  the  table 
larger,"  I  said.  "  But  we  need  no 
plates.  What  would  the  first  man  have 
done  with  a  plate,  Eve  ?  " 

"  Or  with  baked  clams? "  she  asked. 
"  But  we  are  not  in  Eden." 

"  I  am,"  I  said. 

And  she  spoke  hastily :  "  At  least 
the  other  guest  shall  not  want." 

"  Let  us  begin,"  I  said,  "  while  the 
clams  are  hot.  There  is  yet  more." 

So  we  sat  side  by  side  upon  the 
bench,  and  the  wind  whispered  softly 
in  the  tree  above.  And  suddenly  Eve 
rose. 

"  My  father,  Adam,"  she  said.  "  He 
is  just  in  time." 


THE   CLAMMER  71 

I  stood  and  turned.  Her  father!  It 
was  Goodwin  the  Rich ;  and  my  cas 
tles  were  tumbling  about  my  ears. 

So  we  saw  each  other,  he  and  I,  and 
looked  each  other  up  and  down,  and 
either  measured  other.  And  though 
he  was  Goodwin  the  Rich,  he  seemed  a 
man,  and  I  hoped  he  thought  as  much 
of  me.  And  he  said  something  about 
clams  and  his  daughter,  I  know  not 
what,  and  I  said  some  foolish  thing,  I 
know  not  what.  Then  I  fetched  a  box 
from  my  shed,  for  him  to  sit  upon,  — 
a  proper  seat  for  the  Rich,  —  and  he 
seemed  to  like  it,  and  tilted  back  and 
forth,  and  ate  prodigious  quantities  of 
clams  and  all  things  else,  and  pro 
nounced  them  uncommon  good. 

And  I  sat  mute,  but  Eve  talked 
steadily,  a  merry  talk,  and  ate  the 
heads  of  the  clams  —  or  tried  to  eat 


72  THE    CLAMMER 

them  —  and  found  them  but  ill  eating 
—  until  I  showed  her  how  to  take  the 
clam  by  the  head  and  dip  him  in  the 
butter,  and  eat  him  properly.  And 
she  bit  the  corn  from  the  cob,  and 
opened  the  clams  with  her  fingers, 
and  I  watched  her  in  adoration  and 
despair.  For  what  should  I  say  to  a 
Daughter  of  the  Rich  ? 

So  there  we  sat  long  at  my  little 
table  under  my  great  tree,  and  I  saw 
the  tide  lapping  high  upon  the  shore, 
and  heard  the  wind  that  sighed  loud 
in  the  pine.  And  indeed  that  sigh 
ing  wind  fell  in  marvelously  with  my 
mood,  for  I  was  not  merry,  as  any  may 
guess.  And  at  last  Goodwin  the  Rich 
had  filled  him  full  with  lobster  and 
corn  and  clams,  and  he  seemed  well 
pleased,  and  sat  upon  his  box,  and 
smiled  and  exhaled  peace.  And  in  a 


THE    CLAMMER  73 

while  he  rose  and  made  some  excuse, 
and  thanked  me  and  went  his  way. 

Then,  when  he  was  gone,  I  sat  there 
still  and  looked  out  upon  the  water, 
and  said  nothing.  For  I  could  not  look 
at  Eve  and  be  content,  but  still  I  had 
the  water  and  the  shore.  And  I  felt 
that  Eve  was  watching  me  and  smiling. 

"  Adam,"  she  said  at  last. 

"  Well  ? " 

"  We  have  had  a  pleasant  clam 
bake,  have  we  not?  Such  a  feast  as 
I  never  had." 

I  made  no  reply. 

"Fisherman,"  she  said  then,  "you 
should  make  some  pretty  speech." 

"  Is  it  for  a  fisherman,"  I  asked,  "  to 
make  pretty  speeches?  He  must  catch 
his  fish  and  dig  his  clams." 

"  You  have  changed  so,  Adam,"  she 
said,  reproaching. 


74  THE   CLAMMER 

"  It  is  not  I  have  changed,"  I  an 
swered. 

Still  I  would  not  look  at  her,  but 
she  was  silent,  and  I  knew  her  smile 
was  gone. 

"  And  is  there  nothing  more  ?  "  she 
asked.  "  Is  it  ended  ?  " 

"  It  is  ended,"  I  said.  "  Even  the 
stones  grow  cold." 

"  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  why  will  you 
be  so  contrary?  It  is  not  ended.  I 
will  not  have  it  so." 

"  The  Rich  may  have  what  they  will," 
I  said,  "  nearly,  but  not  quite.  I  was 
not  made  for  a  plaything  for  the 
Rich." 

"  You  are  bitter,  and  you  are  not 
fair,"  she  said  softly.  "  It  is  not  like 
you,  Adam.  There  is  something  more. 
Why  will  you  make  it  hard  ? " 

"  I    will    not    make  it    hard,"  I   an- 


THE    CLAMMER  75 

swered.  "  There  is  nothing  else.  What 
has  a  fisherman  to  say  to  a  Daughter 
of  the  Rich,  or  she  to  him  ?  So,  for 
that  other  matter,  Miss  Goodwin,  I 
absolve  you  from  an  answer." 

"  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  you  make  me 
angry.  I  have  a  mind  to  go  home." 

"Shall  I  see  you  on  your  way?"  I 
asked. 

"  I  will  not  have  it  so,"  she  said, 
and  stood  and  stamped  her  foot.  I 
knew  well  how  she  must  look,  in 
that  pretty  rage.  "  And  you  forgot, 
Adam." 

"What?"  I  asked.  "I  would  not 
fail  in  duty." 

"  My  name,"  she  said.  "  I  told  you  it 
was  Eve." 

"Are  you  not  Miss  Goodwin?" 

"  Adam,"  she  said  firmly,  "  I  said 
Eve." 


76  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Well,  Eve,  have  you  not  done  with 
me  ?  "  I  sighed  and  would  not  look  at 

O 

her,  though  she  stood  before  me. 

"  No,  I  have  not,"  she  said.  "  I 
should  laugh  if  I  were  not  so  angry. 
Look  at  me." 

I  stood  and  looked  down  at  her,  an 
instant  but  no  more.  I  could  not,  for 
I  should  have  choked. 

"  Eve,  Eve,"  I  cried,  "  have  you  no 
mercy?  Must  the  Rich  destroy  the 
playthings  that  they  weary  of?" 

"  Adam,"  she  said,  "  you  have  a  duty 
yet.  Do  not  shirk  it.  A  fisherman  must 
not  shirk  his  duty." 

"  I  am  but  a  drowned  fisherman,"  I 
replied.  "  But  what  a  drowned  man 
may  do,  I  will  do." 

"  You  promised  to  be  my  good 
friend,"  she  said.  "  So  come  back  with 
me  along  the  shore." 


THE    CLAMMER  77 

So  we  went  down  the  steep  path 
and  side  by  side  along  the  shore,  where 
the  water  lapped  high.  And  we  came 
to  our  bank,  where  the  pebbles  shone 
in  the  sun,  and  there  Eve  sat  her 
down. 

"  Sit  beside  me,  Adam." 

And  down  I  sat,  as  wretched  as  man 
was  ever,  and  I  looked  into  the  water 
that  covered  my  clam  beds.  I  doubted 
I  should  have  heart  to  dig  in  those 
beds  again. 

"  Adam,"  said  Eve,  and  her  voice 
was  not  steady,  "  I  have  considered, 
and"  — 

"  Eve,"  I  cried,  "  can  you  not  spare 
me  that  ?  If  you  feel  any  friendship  for 
me,  spare  me  that.  I  am  blind  enough, 
but  I  can  see  "  — 

"  Oh,  you  are  the  blindest  man  that 
ever  was."  And  she  slipped  her  hand 


78  THE    CLAMMER 

within  my  arm,  and  drew  it  back  again 
and  began  to  cry  softly.  And  at  that 
I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  my  heart 
thumped  like  a  hammer,  till  I  thought 
it  would  burst  my  ribs. 

"  Eve,  Eve,"  I  cried,  my  voice  shak 
ing  so  it  shamed  me,  "  do  not  play  with 
me.  Do  you  mean  "  — 

"  Oh,  you  blind  man,  can  you  not 
see  what  I  mean  ?  Must  I  say  it  more 
plainly  ?  It  is  yes,  Adam,  and  no 
play." 

And  she  smiled  at  me  through  her 
tears,  and  suddenly,  for  me,  earth  and 
sky  were  flooded  with  a  great  glory. 

Now,  what  I  did  next,  I  shall  not 
tell,  nor  what  she  said  to  me  ;  for  those 
are  things  for  my  Eve  and  me  to  know 
and  to  remember.  But  any  man  who 
has  been  in  such  case  as  mine  may 
guess  to  some  purpose,  if  he  will  but 


THE    CLAMMER  79 

try.  And  after  some  time,  I' know  not 
how  long,  we  sat  there  side  by  side 
upon  the  bank,  most  decorous,  for  out 
upon  the  water  was  a  boat.  But  we 
might  say  what  we  would,  and  I  might 
hold  her  hand,  down  upon  the  sod,  out 
of  sight,  and  I  might  gaze  into  her 
wonderful  eyes  and  see  in  them  the 
tender  light  that  made  them  pass  all 
wonders. 

"  Such  trouble  as  I  had  to  get  you, 
Adam,  at  the  last !  " 

"  It  served  you  right,"  I  said,  "  for 
your  deceit." 

She  laughed,  a  happy  laugh.  "  You 
honest  fisherman  !  "  she  said.  "  It  was 
so  easy  to  deceive  you !  But  never 
again,  Adam.  You  may  trust  me." 

"  Always,"  I  answered,  and  stooped 
low  and  kissed  the  hand  I  held.  And 
she  stooped,  too,  and  quite  by  chance, 


8o  THE    CLAMMER 

and  if  they  saw  us  from  the  boat,  I  did 
not  care. 

"  And  were  you  deceived  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  for  half  an  hour. 
You  are  too  honest,  Adam.  But  I  love 
you  for  it." 

And  then  we  did  some  other  silly 
things,  and  cared  not  for  the  boat. 

"  And  what  of  old  Goodwin,  Eve  ? " 
I  asked,  after  some  while.  "  What  will 
he  say  ? " 

She  laughed  again  her  happy  laugh. 
"  What  did  he  say,  Adam  ?  He  seemed 
pleased,  I  thought." 

"Eve,"  I  cried,  "you  do  not  mean" — 

"  He  came  there  for  that  purpose, 
Adam.  I  confessed  to  him.  He  is  my 
friend,  I  told  you." 

"  Honest  gentleman  !  "  I  said.  "  I 
beg  his  pardon.  He  may  have  my  clam 
beds  if  he  will." 


THE    CLAMMER  81 

"No,  no,"  she  cried,  "for  they  must 
be  mine,  too,  those  clam  beds.  I  will 
not  have  them  changed." 

"  They  are  yours,  Eve,"  I  said,  "  for 
they  were  mine  and  I  am  yours.  See 
the  colors  the  old  sun  spreads  over 
them  now.  He  is  almost  sitting  on 
that  hill." 

"  We  will  bid  him  good-night,  to 
gether,"  she  said ;  "  a  happy  one,  Adam. 
Stand  beside  me." 

So  we  stood,  and  she  clasped  my 
fingers  close  in  hers,  and  we  saw  the 
sun,  that  he  spread  the  still  water  with 
all  manner  of  reds  and  purples  and 
shimmering  greens.  And  as  the  last 
thin  line  of  red  vanished  behind  the 
bearded  hill,  we  saluted.  And  again  we 
sat  upon  the  bank,  and  saw  the  red  west 
turn  to  violet,  and  then  to  green.  And 
then  Eve  rose  and  said  good-night. 


82  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Until  to-morrow,  Adam,"  she  said. 
"  Until  to-morrow,  Eve,"  I  echoed. 
And  then  she  seemed  to  listen. 
"  They  are  coming  for  me,  Adam. 
If  you  love  me,  run  !  " 


II 

A   DAUGHTER   OF   THE    RICH 


A   DAUGHTER    OF   THE    RICH 

SOME  there  may  be  who  will  say 
-who  do  say,  no  doubt,  for  they 
dearly  love  a  bit  of  gossip  —  that  I  am 
no  better  than  an  adventurer;  that  I 
have  wormed  my  way  into  a  girl's  heart 
under  false  pretenses,  and  will  but  de 
vour  what  I  find  there ;  and  that  two 
weeks  —  or  three,  or  whatever  the  time 
was,  according  to  the  usual  measure  of 
man  —  is  too  short  a  time  for  two  people 
to  have  found  out  that  they  love  each 
other.  Now,  those  who  are  most  apt  to 
speak  thus  foolishly  are  my  neighbors, 
who  have  mated  according  to  their 
lights ;  and  I  have  not  observed  that 
they  are  happier  than  other  folk.  Indeed, 
I  doubt  whether  they  are  as  happy. 


86  THE   CLAMMER 

It  is  not  to  be  imagined  that  my 
neighbors  have  remonstrated  with  me 
upon  the  subject.  But  I  have  observed, 
when  I  have  met  two  of  them  together, 
they  do  but  wait  until  I  am  out  of  hear 
ing —  sometimes  scarcely  that — before 
they  get  their  heads  together. 

"  That 's  the  fellow,"  says  one,  "  who 
is  engaged  to  Old  Goodwin's  daugh 
ter." 

"Is  it,  indeed?"  says  the  other  — 
and  turns  his  head  about,  that  he 
see  me  the  better.  And  I  stop  short 
and  lean  casually  upon  a  wall,  my  face 
toward  them.  For  I  would  not  cheat 
them  of  their  birthright. 

"  Yes,"  says  the  first.  "  In  two  weeks. 
Disgraceful,  I  call  it." 

They  gaze  at  me  —  both  of  them  — 
as  if  I  were  some  monster  from  a  mu 
seum. 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     87 

"  Rich,  is  n't  he  ? "  asks  the  second. 
"  Goodwin,  I  mean  —  not  this  fellow." 

And  they  pass  on,  laughing  uproari 
ously.  I  would  not  stint  their  mirth, 
and  giving  over  my  leaning  upon  the 
wall,  I,  too,  pass  on. 

Therefore  it  comes  to  pass  that  I 
have  no  great  opinion  of  my  neighbors' 
judgment.  Indeed,  I  contend  that  they 
speak  of  that  they  know  not  of.  Eve 
agrees  with  me  in  this,  —  she  agrees 
with  me  in  most  things,  now,  —  for 
have  we  not  been  engaged  for  one 
whole  month,  and  not  the  littlest 
shadow  on  our  happiness  ?  And  still 
I  am  wont  to  take  my  basket  on  my 
arm  and  my  clam  hoe  in  my  hand  and 
wander  the  shores.  But  the  clams  that 
I  dig  would  make  but  a  sorry  meal,  and 
the  clams  that  I  leave — well,  they  will 
be  the  bigger  and  the  lustier  for  digging 


88  THE    CLAMMER 

when  I  am  minded  to  it.  And  it  is  easy 
to  guess  what  clam  beds  I  frequent. 

So  it  befell  that  I  wandered,  one 
afternoon,  over  the  oozy  flats  toward 
my  chosen  hunting  ground.  The  sun 
was  getting  low  in  the  west,  and  well 
I  knew  what  colors  the  Great  Painter 
was  spreading  over  the  still  water  and 
upon  the  shining  mud.  But  yet  I  would 
not  look  at  them,  but  wended  on,  at  a 
pace  too  great  for  a  clammer.  And  joy 
was  in  my  heart.  For  there,  just  where 
the  sod  broke  off  to  the  sand  and  the 
pebbles  shone  bright  in  the  sun,  sat 
Eve.  And  she  smiled  upon  me  as  she 
spoke. 

"Adam,"  said  she,  reproving,  "you 
are  almost  late  to-night." 

And,  at  that,  the  ganglion  that  I 
have  mentioned,  that  does  duty  for  my 
heart,  leaped  for  joy,  so  that  I  was 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     89 

nigh  to  choking.  And  indeed,  though 
it  is  but  a  ganglion,  it  knows  its  duty 
well,  and  leaps  for  joy  or  aches  with 
sorrow  as  well  as  the  best-behaved 
heart  in  the  world.  I  have  not  known 
the  ache  for  sorrow  since  the  day  of 
my  clambake ;  but  it  can  make  a  man 
very  wretched.  And  I  am  convinced 
that  it  can  ache  for  pure  joy,  too  — 
although  that  is  a  different  ache,  with 
happiness  in  it. 

So  I  smiled  back  at  her.  "  Almost 
late,"  I  said,  "  is  just  in  time.  Late  has 
no"  — 

"  Adam,  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  are  you 
become  a  grammarian  ?  Grammarians 
are  tiresome.  And  I  must  go,  for  I 
have  an  engagement "  — 

"  No,  no,"  I  answered,  in  haste  ;  for 
though  in  my  heart  I  knew  well  she 
did  but  jest,  yet  I  feared  to  lose  her. 


go  THE    CLAMMER 

"  There  is  small  danger  that  I  shall 
become  a  grammarian.  I  have  put  all 
that  behind  me.  It  gets  farther  behind 
me  with  every  day  that  passes.  And 
your  engagement  is  with  me." 

She  laughed,  a  low,  sweet  laugh. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  it  was." 

And  we  sat  there,  silent,  and  Eve 
gazed  at  the  sun,  that  was  near  his  set 
ting,  and  he  gazed  back  at  her.  He 
set  no  longer  behind  the  bearded  hill, 
—  the  time  was  passed  for  that,  —  but 
there  were  other  hills,  and  he  must  set 
behind  them,  for  that  is  his  destiny. 
And  if  any  should  say  to  me  that  I  do 
but  ill  to  speak  thus  of  his  destiny,  for 
that  his  destiny  is  a  greater  than  that; 
and  if  that  one  should  hint  of  some 
hypothesis  or  other  concerning  the 
life  and  death  of  the  universe,  —  they 
may  have  a  new  one  now  —  they  may 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    91 

get  up  a  new  one  every  week,  for 
aught  I  know  or  care  ;  for  what  is  the 
death  of  the  universe  to  me  ?  —  I 
should  answer  such  an  one  in  this  wise : 
"  Go  to,  you  speak  foolishly.  For  have 
I  not  seen  him  every  evening  of  my 
life,  that  he  sets  in  the  west?  Talk 
not  to  me  of  any  hypothesis.  I  know 
what  I  know." 

And  I  was  leaning  on  my  elbow, 
down  upon  the  sod,  and  idly  gazing 
at  the  sun,  and  idly  gazing  up  at  Eve. 
But  I  gazed  at  Eve  the  more.  And 
the  west  was  all  golden,  with  a  soft 
haze  everywhere  that  left  nothing  with 
sharp  outlines,  and  the  sun  was  set,  like 
a  great  yellow  diamond,  in  its  midst.  It 
was  one  of  those  days  —  come  a  month 
or  more  before  its  time  —  when  the 
whole  earth  seems  to  drowse  and  doze 
and  breathe  forth  peace. 


92  THE   CLAMMER 

"  Eve,"  I  said  softly,  for  I  almost 
feared  lest  I  break  the  spell  that  was 
upon  us. 

She  turned  to  me,  but  did  not  speak. 

"  Would  you  have  me  analyze  those 
colors  that  we  see  ?  I  might  make 
shift  to  do  it.  Would  this  soft  light  be 
more  beautiful  to  you  " 

"  Oh,  no,  no,"  she  cried.  "  Let  it  be. 
See,  the  sun  is  almost  down.  Stand 
beside  me,  Adam." 

So  I  stood,  and  she  clasped  my  fin 
gers  close  in  hers,  and  we  faced  the 
west, for  we  would  bid  the  old  sun  good 
night.  And  as  we  stood  thus,  came 
Old  Goodwin,  silently,  and  stood  at  her 
other  side.  And  she  took  his  hand  in 
hers,  too,  one  hand  to  each,  and  we 
looked  at  the  sun,  and  his  rim  rested 
on  the  hill.  And  there  stood  a  tree, 
great  and  tall  like  a  spire,  that  showed 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     93 

black  against  his  disk.  So  we  watched 
him  sink,  and  as  the  last  thin  line  van 
ished  behind  the  hill,  we  saluted,  all 
three.  Then  Eve  breathed  a  deep 
sigh. 

"  Such  a  lovely  day,  Adam,"  she 
said,  "  ended  in  beauty  !  If  all  the  days 
could  be  like  this  !  " 

I  remembered  me  of  a  day,  not  two 
months  back,  that  had  been  a  driving 
drizzle  of  rain,  and  of  a  certain  figure 
that  had  stood  beneath  a  tree,  and  the 
water  dripped  from  the  rim  of  her  wide 
felt  hat,  and  shone  upon  her  long  coat. 
And  that  day,  with  all  its  wetness,  had 
seemed  as  good  a  day  as  this,  for  she 
had  smiled  to  see  me  coming  along 
the  shore,  my  face  as  black  as  the 
clouds,  and  not  expecting  to  find  her; 
and  she  had  smiled  again  to  see  my 
face  change  at  the  sight  of  her,  and  to 


94  THE    CLAMMER 

see  that  I  could  not  speak  for  the  joy 
of  it.  But  I  had  looked  at  her  until 
she  flushed  red. 

"  Truly,"  said  I,  "  beauty  is  from 
within,  Eve,  and  each  day  is  but  what 
we  make  it." 

Then  Eve  and  I  sat  us  down  upon 
the  bank  where  we  were  wont  to  sit, 
and  Old  Goodwin  gave  me  a  quiet 
smile  for  greeting.  He  was  a  quiet 
man,  peaceable  and  peace-loving,  and 
I  marveled,  often,  that  he  should  be 
Goodwin  the  Rich.  But  so  it  was. 
And  his  automobiles  flashed  past  my 
front  gate,  as  they  had  done  before, 
covering  my  hedge  with  dust  and  en 
veloping  my  house  in  nauseous  smells  ; 
also  as  they  had  done  before.  But  I 
like  automobiles  better  than  I  did.  I 
even  ride  in  them  sometimes,  with 
Eve,  on  the  back  seat ;  and  Old  Good- 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     95 

win  rides  on  the  front  seat,  and  drives 
as  though  the  Devil  were  after  him ; 
which  I  think  he  is  not,  for  Old  Good 
win  is  a  lovable  man,  and  a  good  man 
I  believe,  as  men  go.  So  I  sit  in  the 
back  seat,  with  Eve,  and  hold  my 
clothes  on,  —  my  hat  I  long  ago  learned 
to  leave  at  home, —  and  I  bump  here 
and  there,  and  now  and  then  I  shout 
a  tender  word  to  Eve,  and  I  think  my 
thoughts ;  and  when  we  turn  a  corner 
—  on  two  wheels  —  I  thank  goodness 
that  there  are  high  sides  to  hold  me  in. 
But  Old  Goodwin  had  gone  to  a 
tree  that  was  at  hand,  and  from  some 
recess  had  pulled  some  rubber  boots. 
They  were  old  boots,  battered  and 
dingy  with  much  wading  through  mud. 
And  after  the  boots  came  a  hat,  as  old 
and  battered  as  they,  and  a  coat.  And 
he  put  them  all  on,  deliberately,  and 


g6  THE    CLAMMER 

stood.  And,  standing,  he  looked  more 
like  some  old  fisherman  than  like 
Goodwin  the  Rich,  which  was,  no 
doubt,  why  he  wore  them.  My  neigh 
bors  would  be  but  too  happy  if  they 
were  to  see  Old  Goodwin  —  and  know 
him  — digging  in  my  clam  beds,  and 
their  tongues  are  ever  ready  at  invent 
ing  tales.  Those  neighbors  of  mine 
are  a  grief  to  Eve,  and  an  incitement 
to  anger,  which,  as  every  one  knows, 
heats  the  blood  and  causes  vapors  in 
the  brain.  Eve  does  not  like  vapors. 
So  I  was  at  some  pains  to  get  those 
boots. 

And  Old  Goodwin,  after  further 
searching  in  the  tree,  drew  forth  a  clam 
hoe  and  a  basket;  and  being  thus 
equipped,  he  hied  him  to  the  flats, 
which  were,  by  now,  almost  bare,  and 
he  began  to  dig.  Now  that  is  a  luxury 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    97 

which  the  rich  may  seldom  have,  that 
they  should  dig  for  clams.  Old  Good 
win  enjoyed  it  mightily,  splashing  here 
and  there  in  his  boots,  and  digging 
as  the  fancy  seized  him  ;  which  was  as 
like  to  be  where  the  clams  were  not  as 
where  they  were.  But  he  cared  not  at 
all,  and  drew  long  breaths  for  very  joy 
of  living ;  and  the  clams  that  he  found 
he  put  within  his  basket.  And  with 
his  boots,  as  he  waded  here  and  there, 
he  stirred  long  lines  of  color  that  went 
rippling  in  waves  of  yellow  or  red  or  a 
tender  blue  until  they  died  at  our  feet. 
For  the  west  was  all  a  brilliant,  daz 
zling  yellow,  with  one  long  cloud  that 
showed  indigo  above,  but  a  bright 
crimson  below.  And  behind  us  were 
other  long  clouds,  and  they  were  crim 
son,  too.  But  the  sky  between  was  a 
tender  blue.  And  I  gazed  long. 


g8  THE   CLAMMER 

"  Adam,"  cried  Eve  at  last,  "  how 
can  you  be  content  to  sit  there  ? " 

I  looked  up  in  some  surprise. 
"  Should  I  not  be  content  ? "  I  said. 
"  For  here  are  you,  beside  me,  and 
before  us  is  spread  a  picture  of  peace 
that  changes  with  each  moment  that 
passes.  Look  at  that  tranquil  water, 
Eve,  with  its  long  tongue  of  blue  that 
marks  the  current.  Should  I  not  be 
content? " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  answered,  "  I  hope 
so.  I  trust  so,  always  —  with  me  be 
side  you.  I  would  not  have  it  other 
wise.  But  even  the  tranquil  water  has 
its  current.  Let  us  dig,  too." 

I  laughed  —  as  quietly  as  I  could, 
for  I  would  not  break  that  tranquil 
lity.  She  had  me  there. 

"  What  a  governess!  "  I  said.  "  She 
has  her  way  always.  Well,  then,  let  us 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     99 

dig  —  though  it  seems  a  pity  to  disturb 
the  clams." 

"  They  live  in  eternal  darkness,"  said 
Eve.  "  It  is  better  for  them  to  be  dis 
turbed.  Besides,  Adam,  I  came  to  dig. 
I  got  this  gown  on  purpose." 

I  had  not  noticed  the  gown.  But 
she  stood  straight  before  me,  and  I 
looked  her  up  and  down,  as  she  would 
have  me.  Truly,  I  could  see  no  differ 
ence  between  that  gown  and  any  other 
—  save  that  it  was  shorter.  But  Eve 
would  look  adorable  in  any — and  it 
was  the  woman  that  I  saw. 

I  said  as  much.  "  To  tell  the  truth," 
I  said,  "  I  did  not  see  your  gown. 
What  does  it  matter  what  you  wear  ?  " 

"  To  dig  ? "  she  said,  reproving. 
"  Have  you  forgotten,  Adam  ?  Surely 
you  would  not  have  your  wife  drip  salt 
water  upon  her  best  dress  and  spot  it? " 


ioo  THE   CLAMMER 

As  she  spoke  she  looked  at  me,  and 
I  saw  that  in  her  eyes  that  brought  me 
up  upon  one  knee.  At  least  I  might 
kiss  her  hand,  with  Old  Goodwin  pot 
tering  about  my  clam  beds.  He  con 
siderately  turned  his  back  upon  us. 

And  so  we  digged  for  clams,  too, 
until  the  light  had  faded  from  the 
western  sky,  and  the  twilight  was  al 
most  gone.  And  when,  at  last,  Old 
Goodwin  turned  and  lumbered  peace 
fully  up  the  bank  and  sat  him  down 
to  become  once  more  Goodwin  the 
Rich,  behold,  our  basket  was  well  filled. 
For  Eve  and  I  have  but  the  one  bas 
ket;  and  her  back  does  not  tire  now. 

And  I,  too,  sat  me  down  —  for  Eve 
had  to  take  off  her  rubber  boots  —  and 
I  sat  me  near  Old  Goodwin.  And  he 
gave  me  once  more  that  quiet  smile  of 
greeting  that  breathed  of  peace. 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    101 

"  And  Mrs.  Goodwin  ? "  I  asked. 
"  Will  she  not  see  me  yet  ? " 

"  Not  yet,"  he  answered,  still  with 
that  quiet  smile.  "  But  do  you  have 
patience.  She  will  come  around  —  at 
least,  I  hope  so.  It  was  rather  —  in  the 
way  of  a  surprise,  you  know.  And  as 
a  surprise,"  he  added,  with  a  chuckle 
of  delight,  "it  was  rather  good  —  yes, 
it  was  a  success." 

I  sighed.  I  am  not  a  patient  man ; 
and  here  was  Old  Goodwin  counseling 
me  to  have  patience.  There  is  nothing 
harder  for  me  to  have. 

"  I  have  had  patience,"  I  said  ;  "  and 
shall  have  it  until  it  leaves  me.  And 
when  that  will  be  I  do  not  know,  but 
not  so  long  as  I  can  keep  it  with  me. 
And,  after  all,  I  do  not  know  that  I 
care  —  except  for  Eve's  sake." 

"  No,"  he  said,  and  the  smile  was 


102  THE    CLAMMER 

gone.  "  You  win  in  any  case,  —  or  so 
it  seems  to  me.  She  loses.  Remember 
that.  She  loses.  And  so  I  ask  you  to 
have  patience.  It  is  worth  while,  if 
only  for  Eve's  sake." 

"  It  is  not  easy  for  me  to  be  patient," 
I  replied.  "  But  I  will,  —  at  least  I  will 
try.  That  I  promise,  and  no  man  can 
promise  more.  For  I  win  in  any  case. 
She  may  gain  a  son  or  lose  a  daughter 
—  but  Eve —  No,  I  will  be  patient." 

Old  Goodwin  had  got  his  boots 
changed  by  this,  and  now  he  rose  — 
Goodwin  the  Rich. 

"  I  thank  you,  Adam,"  he  said.  He 
called  me  Adam,  too.  "  It  will  be  the 
easier  for  me.  And  that  is  something 
to  you  —  is  it  not  ?  " 

I  jumped  to  my  feet  and  seized  his 
hand.  "  It  is  much  to  me,"  I  cried. 
"  If  ever  you  see  me  going  wrong,  I 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH   103 

beg  you  to  remind  me.  For  Eve's 
sake  and  yours.  That  will  bring  me 
back." 

Indeed,  he  had  been  my  good  friend 
—  my  good  friend  and  Eve's.  And 
now  he  smiled  once  more  Old  Good 
win's  quiet  smile.  I  loved  that  smile, 
breathing  peace  on  earth  and  good 
will  to  men.  It  was  easy  to  see  where 
Eve  had  got  hers.  She  smiled  with 
her  eyes,  too,  and  in  them  I  saw — but 
perhaps  that  was  for  me  alone.  But 
Old  Goodwin,  with  his  quiet  smile, 
was  yet  Goodwin  the  Rich.  It  was  a 
marvel. 

"  You  are  good  children,"  he  said. 
"  Good-night,  —  and  bless  you." 

So  he  ambled  off,  up  the  path  that 
was  beginning  to  show,  even  in  that 
dim  light.  For  a  path  is  made  by 
walking  upon  it,  and  even  once  a  day 


104  THE  CLAMMER 

will  serve  for  that.  And  that  path  was 
walked  on  more  than  once  a  day.  As 
he  reached  a  turn,  he  waved  his  hand 
to  us,  and  we  to  him. 

"  Eve,"  I  said,  musing,  "  there  goes 
a  good  man." 

She  turned  to  me.  "  He  is,"  she  said. 
"  And  I  am  glad  to  have  you  think 
that,  Adam.  There  are  those  —  who 
say  cruel  things  of  him." 

"  They  are  wrong,"  I  cried.  "  I  am 
convinced  of  it.  From  all  envy,  hatred, 
and  malice,  good  Lord,  deliver  us.  But 
what  of  that  other  rich  man,  Eve  ? " 

As  I  looked  up  at  Eve,  waiting  for 
my  answer,  I  saw  that  she  was  smiling 
merrily. 

"  I  told  him,"  she  said,  "  that  I  was 
engaged  already.  And  he  seemed  sur 
prised  at  that,  and  he  would  know  the 
name  of  the  happy  man.  And  I  told 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH   105 

him  that,  too.  Did  I  do  well  ?  Are 
you  "  —  She  stopped  and  hesitated. 

"  Am  I  happy,  Eve  ?  "  I  answered 
softly.  "  Surely  you  know  that  I  am. 
Happier  than  I  thought  I  should  ever 
be.  And  what  did  he  say  to  that? " 

"  Oh,  then,  he  did  not  understand. 
For  I  think  he  did  not  know  you, 
Adam.  And  I  said  you  were  a  fisher 
man,  or  a  clammer,  as  occasion  served. 
You  should  have  seen  his  face.  And 
he  but  wished  me  joy,  and  went ;  which 
was  what  I  wanted." 

I  chuckled.  For  I  do  chuckle  on 
occasion. 

"  I  have  no  other  occupation,"  I 
said,  "  and  neither  has  he.  And  he 
comes,  in  his  yacht,  to  ask  you, — 
steam  yachts  are  luxuries,  Eve,  which 
my  wife  will  know  nothing  of,  —  he 
comes,  very  grand,  in  his  yacht,  to  ask 


io6  THE  CLAMMER 

you.  And  you  tell  him  that  you  are  to 
wed  a  digger  of  clams.  And  where  is 
he  now  ? " 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  answered ; 
and  the  smile  faded. 

And  I  thought  my  thoughts,  and 
was  silent.  Truly,  the  digging  of  clams 
has  its  delights,  and  not  all  the  rich 
are  fitted  to  partake  thereof.  For  how 
many  of  them  see  what  lies  before 
their  eyes  ?  How  many  of  them  see 
the  colors  the  old  sun  spreads  on  the 
still  water  and  the  shining  mud  ?  A 
flat  is  a  flat  to  them,  a  thing  to  be 
shunned;  a  thing  that  will  spoil  their 
white  flannels  and  get  their  dresses  all 
muddy.  Not  all  of  them  are  Old  Good 
wins.  And  the  works  of  the  Great 
Painter  are  not  for  such  as  these.  But 
the  colors  were  gone  now,  and  the 
light,  too,  and  I  heard  Eve  sighing. 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    107 

"What  is  it,  Eve?"  I  asked.  "Must 
you  go  ? " 

"  Soon,"  she  said,  "  very  soon.  But  I 
was  thinking  of  my  mother.  She  hinted 
—  almost  threatened — that  he  would 
come  again." 

"  That  rich  man  ?  "  I  said.  "  He  is 
better  forgot."  And,  indeed,  I  had  for 
got  him  already.  "  After  all,  what  does 
it  matter?  His  goings  and  his  com 
ings  are  nothing  to  us.  And  your 
mother — was  it  hard  to  tell  her?  I 
did  what  I  could." 

"  It  was  not  easy,"  she  answered,  and 
I  knew  by  her  voice  that  tears  were 
in  her  eyes,  though  I  could  not  see. 
"  Your  note,  Adam,  she  tore  up  before 
my  eyes.  Oh,  I  was  angry !  And  I 
said  what  I  should  not.  And  then  she 
said  —  she  was  angry,  too  —  that  she 
would  not  come  to  my  wedding  "  — 


io8  THE    CLAMMER 

"  We  will  have  patience,  Eve,"  I 
said,  "  and  perhaps  she  may  change 
her  mind.  And  for  the  note,  why,  it 
is  better  torn  up  than  passed  around 
among  her  friends  to  be  laughed  over. 
Yes,  I  am  glad  about  the  note." 

"And  I  saved  the  pieces  —  every 
one,"  she  said  then,  laughing  shyly. 
"  After  my  mother  was  gone,  I  gath 
ered  them  up.  But  now  I  must  go, 
Adam.  See,  it  is  quite  dark.  You  may 
come  up  the  path  with  me  —  if  you 
will — for  just  a  minute." 

If  I  would  !  And  if  our  parting  took 
more  than  just  the  minute  she  had  said, 
why,  I  will  bear  the  blame  —  if  blame 
there  is.  For  I  left  her  happy  and  with 
her  eyes  shining.  And  so  I  stumbled 
home  along  the  shore,  my  heart  sing 
ing.  And  my  supper  —  for  what  clam- 
mer  would  dine  at  seven  —  was  ambro- 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    109 

sia  and  nectar,  being  plain  corn  meal 
mush  and  fresh  milk.  And  when  I 
had  filled  myself  full  of  it  I  betook 
me  to  the  seat  under  the  old  pine,  and 
I  gazed  at  the  stars  and  wondered.  I 
saw  Arcturus,  hanging  red,  high  in  the 
west;  and  Altair  blazing  above  me. 
But,  gaze  where  I  would,  I  saw  always 
that  wonderful  hair  with  the  light  upon 
it  from  the  western  sky;  and  those 
wonderful  eyes  with  the  light  within 
them  that  made  them  to  outshine  Al 
tair  himself.  And,  gazing,  I  wondered 
if  in  all  the  worlds  that  revolve  about 
those  innumerable  suns  there  were  a 
being  as  happy  and  as  content  as  I. 

Of  all  the  gifts  of  the  gods,  happi 
ness  is  the  most  elusive.  For  they  that 
most  seek  it  find  it  not ;  and  to  them 
that  seek  it  not,  but  go  calmly  about 


no  THE    CLAMMER 

their  business,  on  a  sudden  it  appears, 
saying :  "  Lo,  here  am  I."  And  we 
must  not  then  attempt  to  hold  it  fast, 
for  ever  it  breaks  away  and  is  gone  — 
for  a  time  —  and  naught  is  to  do  but 
wait,  with  what  patience  we  may,  until 
it  come  again.  And  the  more  we  have 
patience  the  sooner  will  it  come  back. 
So  the  days  passed,  and  some  days 
I  found  happiness,  and  other  days  I 
found  it  not ;  but  usually  I  had  it  for 
a  bedfellow.  And  it  was  lucky  that  I 
did,  for  what  is  to  be  said  of  a  clam- 
mer  who  cannot  sleep?  And  each 
afternoon,  when  the  sun  was  low,  I 
wended  slowly  over  toward  my  clam 
beds  along  the  shore  where  the  water 
lapped  ever.  And  the  Great  Painter 
spread  his  colors  with  lavish  hand, 
and  peace  covered  the  earth  and  was 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters.  And 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    in 

peace  was  in  my  heart,  too,  for  there 
on  the  bank  sat  Eve,  and  she  smiled 
to  see  me  come. 

And  it  befell  on  a  day  that  there 
was  a  flat  calm,  and  the  sun  veiled  his 
face  before  he  set ;  and,  above,  the  veil 
spread  out  in  a  thin  sheet,  feathery 
and  white,  so  that  I  could  not  tell 
where  it  began. 

"  Look,  Eve,"  I  said.  "  To-morrow 
it  will  be  stormy." 

And  she  said  nothing,  but  only 
looked  as  she  was  bid,  being  content 
to  take  my  word  in  all  things.  But  Old 
Goodwin  was  not. 

"  Indeed  !  "  he  said.  "  What  makes 
you  think  so,  Adam  ?  " 

Then  I  was  tempted.  I  might  have 
entered  upon  a  disquisition  concern 
ing  cyclones  and  the  sequence  of  the 
weather.  But  I  put  that  temptation 


ii2  THE    CLAMMER 

from  me.  It  was  but  a  part  of  my 
past. 

"  Oh,"  I  answered  simply,  "  the  look 
of  the  sky." 

"And  in  what  does  the  look  of  the 
sky  differ  from  its  look  on  any  other 
day  ? "  he  asked.  "  I  see  no  differ 
ence." 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell,"  I  said ;  "  but  this 
is  the  hurricane  season.  I  may  be  quite 
mistaken.  But  I  think  it  will  storm  to 
morrow." 

And  so  he  was  forced  to  be  content, 
though  he  was  but  half  convinced  ;  and 
he  would  have  betaken  him  to  the  dig 
ging  of  clams,  but  the  tide  was  not  half 
down.  This  he  mourned,  with  frequent 
upward  glances  at  the  sky.  For  Old 
Goodwin  was  become  more  skilled  in 
the  finding  of  clams  than  he  had  been. 
Indeed,  I  marveled  what  he  could  do 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    113 

with  the  clams  he  dug,  for  he  no  longer 
gave  them  to  us.  I  mentioned  it  to 
Eve. 

She  laughed,  whispering.  "  I  fear, 
Adam,"  she  said,  "  that  he  is  con 
taminated.  He  sits  up  late  at  night, 
after  everybody  else  is  gone  to  bed  — 
and  I  met  him  yesterday  coming  from 
the  kitchen.  He  looked  furtive  as  he 
smiled  in  passing.  Yes,  I  fear  that  he 
is  contaminated." 

"  Steamed  clams  ? "  I  whispered,  in 
reply.  "  But  steamed  clams  are  not 
baked  clams.  They  are,  to  clams  from 
a  bake,  what  —  a  bath  in  a  tub  is  to  a 
dip  in  that  great  ocean." 

"  It  is  the  best  that  he  can  do,"  she 
said.  "  He  may  not  have  a  clambake. 
My  mother  "- 

"  Ah,"  said  I,  illuminated,  "  the  poor 
man  1  We  will  have  one  for  him. 


H4  THE    CLAMMER 

And  we  will  ask  your  mother,  too.  She 
can  but  refuse,  at  the  worst.  And  per 
haps  "- 

Eve  shook  her  head.  "  She  will  re 
fuse,"  she  said,  —  "  or  take  no  notice 
of  your  asking.  But  father  will  be 
grateful.  There  are  so  few  things  the 
rich  may  do  simply.  Father  would  like 
to  muss  around,  himself,  —  to  help  you 
with  the  bake,  Adam,  —  and  wear  his 
old  clothes.  He  generally  has  a  horrid 
time." 

She  was  smiling  and  eager,  and  her 
eyes  shone.  I  nodded.  "  He  shall  have 
his  clambake." 

So  Eve  went  in  early,  and  Old  Good 
win,  for  the  sky  was  become  all  gray 
and  nothing  to  see.  And  to  me  there 
is  nothing  so  dismal  as  a  dull  gray  sky 
when  there  is  neither  wind  nor  rain. 
There  is  the  same  gray  light  on  the 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    115 

water,  the  same  wherever  I  look,  and 
all  nature  seems  waiting.  After  a  day 
of  it,  I  am  fit  for  battle  and  murder. 
But  now  a  little  breeze  came  creep 
ing  in  out  of  the  east,  chill  and  drear. 
And  I  was  wakened  in  the  night  by 
the  wind,  howling  like  a  lost  soul  in 
torment.  I  turned  over  and  drew  the 
covers  closer  and  slept  again. 

And  when  the  day  broke,  it  was  not 
tranquil,  and  no  sun  to  see ;  and  the 
wind  shrieking  and  yelling  out  of  the 
southeast  like  some  wild  thing,  with 
gusts  of  drenching  rain.  I  thought  of 
my  late  corn,  which  was  heavy  with 
great  ears  —  and  had  been  tall,  too, 
the  night  before.  It  was  like  to  be 
blown  flat  in  that  wind  —  as  flat  as  if 
it  had  been  harvested  —  and  what  was 
a  clambake  without  fresh  corn  ?  But 
there  was  no  help  for  it.  I  ate  my 


n6  THE    CLAMMER 

breakfast  at  my  leisure,  —  there  would 
be  more  wind  before  there  was  less,  — 
put  on  oil-skins,  boots,  and  sou'wester, 
and  fared  forth. 

As  I  passed  down  through  my  gar 
den  I  glanced  at  my  corn.  It  was  flat, 
as  I  expected,  save  one  great  stalk, 
stronger  than  its  comrades,  or  more 
deeply  rooted,  and  that  stalk  waved 
and  thrashed  about  in  anguish.  It 
would  break  soon,  I  knew.  And  I 
mused  as  I  leaned  against  the  wind 
upon  its  fate  —  how  it  must  be  broken 
and  die,  while  the  stalks  less  well 
rooted  did  but  go  down  before  the 
blast,  and  live  and  grow.  But  I  gave 
my  corn  no  more  thought,  for  I  was 
come  to  the  steep  path  that  led  me 
down  along  the  shore,  and  by  the 
water,  now  all  brown  with  sand  and 
mud  that  had  been  stirred  from  the 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    117 

bottom.  For,  although  it  was  fairly 
quiet  here,  being  in  the  lee  of  the 
bluff,  the  water  was  well  stirred,  as  any 
might  guess  from  looking  out  upon  it. 
And  I  came  to  the  bank,  where  the 
sod  breaks  off  to  the  sand,  and  no  Eve 
was  there.  And,  indeed,  I  had  known 
better,  but  can  a  man  help  hoping  ? 
It  was  much  too  early,  and  who  could 
expect  her  to  come  down  in  that  wind  ? 
And  as  I  made  these  excuses  for  her, 
behold,  she  stepped  from  behind  a 
great  tree,  and  she  laughed  aloud  to 
see  my  face. 

"  Oh,  Adam ! "  she  cried,  "  one  would 
think,  to  see  you  as  you  came,  that  you 
had  lost  your  last  friend,  and  were  just 
come  to  the  funeral." 

"  And  then,"  I  answered,  smiling  up 
at  her,  —  "  what  then,  Eve  ?  " 

"  Why,  then, — you  seemed  surprised 


n8  THE    CLAMMER 

and" —  With  that  she  stopped,  and 
she  stood  upon  the  bank  above,  and  I 
on  the  sand  below ;  and  she  put  her 
hands  upon  my  shoulders,  one  on  each, 
and  looked  down  into  my  face.  And 
I  looked  up  into  her  eyes,  and  I  forgot 
the  storm,  and  I  forgot  that  wild  wind 
that  blew,  and  I  forgot  all  things  save 
what  I  saw  there.  And,  an  instant, 
she  bent  to  me.  "  Oh,  Adam,  Adam ! " 
she  cried,  "  I  am  glad,  glad  that  you 
care  so  much.  For  it  is  not  easy  for 
me." 

And  I  said  no  word,  but  only  held  her 
so  for  some  while.  And  presently  she 
laughed,  as  if  she  were  half  ashamed, 
and  drew  her  from  my  arms.  And  I 
saw  that  her  face  was  wet.  It  may 
have  been  the  rain  —  I  do  not  know. 
A  fisherman,  in  sou'wester  and  oil 
skins,  holding  in  his  arms  a  Daugh- 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    119 

ter  of  the  Rich.  I  laughed  aloud  at 
the  thought.  For,  though  she,  too, 
had  on  boots,  she  seemed  no  fit  mate 
for  such  as  I  —  in  her  long  coat,  that 
covered  her  from  neck  to  heel,  and 
with  her  wide  felt  hat,  tied  down  be 
hind.  Indeed,  I  grudged  that  to  neces 
sity  —  for  her  hair  was  all  hid,  under 
the  hat. 

Out  from  my  clam  beds  —  some  way 
out  —  is  a  reef  of  rocks.  It  is  grim 
enough  in  any  weather:  at  low  water 
just  showing  its  rough  head,  dark 
brown,  barnacled,  bearded  with  sea 
weed  ;  at  high  tide,  in  calm  weather, 
nothing  but  a  wide  expanse  of  placid 
water.  For  which  reason,  the  govern 
ment,  in  its  wisdom,  and  to  protect 
the  lives  of  yachtsmen,  who  ever  walk 
in  darkness — the  fishermen  know  it 
from  the  beginning  of  time  —  the  gov- 


120  THE   CLAMMER 

ernment  had  set,  upon  the  most  out 
ward  rock  a  spindle.  It  was  awkward 
enough,  that  spindle,  with  its  sprawl 
ing  arms,  like  a  telegraph  pole  —  but 
it  served  its  purpose  well  in  ordinary 
weather  I  have  no  doubt.  But  now,  - 
this  was  no  ordinary  weather,  as  any 
might  see,  —  it  seemed  like  to  go  down, 
even  as  my  solitary  stalk  of  corn ;  to 
be  torn  from  its  hold  in  the  rock,  or 
the  shaft  twisted  and  bent  and  broken, 
till  it  served  no  longer. 

"  Look,  Eve,"  I  shouted.  For  the 
gale  tore  my  words  out  of  my  mouth. 
"  The  spindle  — it  will  go  down  at  high 
tide — or  before.  See,  it  is  bent,  al 
ready." 

For,  as  I  spoke,  a  great  sea  smashed 
down  upon  the  rock,  sending  its  spray 
high ;  and  when  the  wind  had  blown 
the  bits  of  broken  water  far  to  lee- 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    121 

ward,  leaving  the  rock  in  a  smother  of 
foam,  I  saw  the  spindle,  and  it  stood 
straight  no  longer.  And  I  watched 
for  the  fellow  of  the  sea  that  had  come. 
But  Eve  held  her  peace.  And  we  two 
watched  the  rock,  with  its  leaning 
spindle,  and  ever  it  leaned  the  more, 
but  it  kept  fast  hold  on  the  rock, 
though  it  was  nearly  buried  in  the 
foam.  And  ever  the  tide  came  higher, 
until  it  was  buried  in  every  sea  that 
came.  So  it  was  come  to  dinner  time ; 
and  I  felt  a  great  hunger  that  gnawed 
within  me.  For  a  clammer  must  eat, 
even  as  other  men. 

"  Eve,"  I  said,  "  it  is  my  dinner  time, 
and  I  am  hungry." 

"  Oh,  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  can  you 
think  about  eating  —  with  this  to  see  ? 
I  thought  better  of  you." 

"  Think  none  the  worse  of  me,"  I 


122  THE    CLAMMER 

answered,  "  that  when  I  am  hungry  I 
would  eat.  For  I  am  not  one  of  your 
theorists  who  believe  that  when  a  man 
is  hungry  he  should  go  without.  But 
I  believe  that  hunger  is  a  sign  from 
Heaven.  God  gave  man  hunger  that 
he  might  know  when  to  eat;  and  thirst, 
that  he  might  know  when  to  drink. 
And  so  I  do.  I  have  never  found 
myself  the  worse  for  it,  but  the  better. 
Hunger  breeds  an  evil  temper,  as  you 
may  see.  Mark  how  much  pleasanter 
I  am  when  I  have  dined." 

And  she  laughed  at  me.  "  And  the 
spindle,  Adam,"  she  said.  "  It  may  go 
down,  and  you  at  dinner.  And  this 
storm  —  surely,  it  is  worth  staying  for." 

"  The  storm  will  increase,"  I  replied, 
"  according  to  the  lore  of  my  neighbors, 
until  full  tide.  In  such  matters  their 
lore  is  older  than  my  learning.  As  for 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    123 

the  spindle,  it  will  go  or  it  will  hold 
fast  as  it  is  ordained  for  it.  If  it  hold 
fast,  well ;  and  if  it  go  down,  why,  — 
that  will  be  well  enough,  too.  At  least, 
I  shall  have  dined.  I  wish  that  I  might 
ask  you  to  dine  with  me,  Eve.  We 
shall  have  roast  mutton,  with  corn,  and 
potatoes,  and — whatever  else  the  wind 
has  left.  And  a  steamed  pudding, 
after.  It  is  not  fashionable,  but  it  will 
be  good.  My  cook  makes  excellent 
steamed  puddings.  And  a  dinner 
eaten  alone  —  it  is  a  lonely  meal." 

Again  Eve  laughed,  then  sighed.  I 
know  that  she  sighed,  for  I  saw  her ; 
I  could  not  hear. 

"  I  should  love  it,  Adam,"  she  said, 
"  but  you  know  I  may  not." 

"  Love  what,  Eve  ?  "  I  asked.  "  The 
steamed  pudding?  " 

"  No  doubt,"  she  answered, "  for  now 


124  TH^    CLAMMER 

that  you  have  reminded  me,  I  am 
hungry,  too.  But  you  know  that  was 
not  what  I  meant.  I  should  love  to 
dine  with  you  in  your  own  house. 
But  it  will  not  be  long  —  there  will 
not  be  many  more  lonely  dinners"  — 

She  hesitated  and  stopped.  But  I 
knew.  "  Let  us  count  them,"  I  said. 
"  Let  us  see  how  many." 

And  again  the  storm  was  forgot,  and 
the  great  wind  that  blew.  And  so  she 
went  in,  and  I  tramped  home,  in  the 
rain,  along  the  shore.  But  my  dinner 
was  too  quickly  eaten  for  a  clammer, 
and  I  thanked  a  kind  Heaven  that 
there  were  not  many  more  such  — 
there  were  far  too  many,  but  they 
could  be  counted  —  there  were  less 
than  a  hundred.  And  having  bolted 
my  dinner,  which  deserved  better  of 
me,  I  hurried  back  to  the  bank,  and 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    125 

there  stood  Eve,  and  she  smiled  to 
see  me  come  along  the  shore. 

"Eve,"  I  observed,  "see  now  for 
what  you  are  responsible.  For,  dining 
alone,  I  did  but  bolt  my  dinner,  for  I 
would  not  miss  a  minute  of  your  com 
pany.  And  thereby  I  risked  dyspep 
sia.  And  that  is  not  the  worst,  for  the 
ills  that  follow  hard  upon  it  are  these : 
melancholy  and  an  evil  disposition; 
and  backbiting  and  gossip,  and,  in 
short,  all  the  qualities  which  you  see 
in  my  neighbors.  And"  — 

But  she  was  laughing.  "  Is  that  not 
enough  ? "  she  asked.  "  I  would  not 
be  responsible  for  more,  and  I  promise 
to  give  you  an  hour  for  your  dinner — 
hereafter.  You  will  have  no  need  to 
hurry  back,  for  I  shall  not  be  here 
sooner.  But  this  is  an  exception.  We 
shall  not  have  such  another  storm, 


126  THE    CLAMMER 

surely,  in  the  next "  —  Again  she 
stopped.  "  Look,  Adam,  can  you  see 
the  spindle  ?  Is  it  gone  ?  " 

I  looked.  The  tide  was  risen  now, 
so  that  only  now  and  then,  between 
the  great  seas  that  came,  could  I  catch 
a  glimpse  of  it ;  and  I  saw  that  it  was 
bent  almost  even  with  the  rock.  It 
would  be  useless  for  its  purpose  even 
if  it  held,  and  the  tide  that  was  com 
ing  would  be  very  high.  Even  now 
the  waves  lapped  about  my  feet  as  I 
stood  upon  the  sand,  and  the  seaweed 
washed  against  the  bank,  and  it  lacked 
an  hour  of  high  tide.  I  feared  for  the 
pebbles,  that  they  would  no  more  shine 
in  the  sun. 

"  I  see  it,"  I  said.  "  It  is  yet  fast  to 
the  rock  —  as  fast  as  any  oyster.  But 
it  is  bent  flat,  so  that  it  is  no  manner 
of  use.  It  may  as  well  go  as  stay.  The 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    127 

water  covers  it  already,  or  it  would,  if 
it  were  smooth." 

And,  indeed,  the  seas  broke  no 
longer  over  the  rock,  save  an  occa 
sional  one,  higher  than  the  rest,  and 
the  trough  lower.  Such  a  sea  did  but 
open  an  instant,  to  show  the  top,  dark 
brown  and  barnacled,  then  closed 
again,  roaring,  in  a  whirlpool  of  foam. 
And  Eve  said  nothing,  but  only  looked. 
And  as  we  stood  looking,  and  the 
rain  running  off  from  our  clothes  in 
streams,  Old  Goodwin  came  down  to 
us,  in  oilskins  and  boots  and  sou'wester. 
And  he  said  nothing,  either,  which  was 
not  strange,  for  he  was  not  a  man  of 
words.  And  when  he  had  been  there 
some  while,  came  a  mighty  sea,  and 
fell  upon  the  rock.  I  shouted  at  the 
sight  of  that  sea ;  I  could  do  no  other. 
And  when  it  was  passed,  the  water 


iz8  THE    CLAMMER 

opened  once  more  and  there  was  but 
the  shaft,  bent  and  twisted. 

"  Gone !  "  I  cried.  And  Eve  looked 
at  me  with  wide  eyes,  but  Old  Good 
win  only  nodded. 

So  we  three  watched  for  some  while, 
and  at  last  the  water  was  as  smooth 
over  the  rock  as  it  was  elsewhere. 
And  that  is  not  saying  that  it  was 
smooth  at  all  —  even  on  my  clam  beds, 
where  it  was,  in  a  measure,  sheltered, 
the  waves  broke  high,  so  that  I  feared 
for  the  bank ;  but  the  great  seas  raced 
evenly  over  the  rock,  and  it  was  as  there 
was  none  there,  for  no  man  could  tell 
its  place. 

Then,  on  a  sudden,  the  rain  ceased 
and  the  wind  increased,  and  it  seemed 
that  the  whole  earth  must  be  torn  up 
by  the  roots.  And  up  on  the  hill  I 
heard  the  crash  of  a  tree,  falling,  and 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    129 

then  another.  And  the  water  was  level 
with  the  bank,  and  the  waves  broke 
over  my  pebbles.  Old  Goodwin  turned 
at  the  sound  of  the  trees,  and  said 
something,  I  know  not  what.  For  the 
noise  of  the  wind  and  the  noise  of  the 
water  was  a  great  noise,  and  swallowed 
up  the  sound  of  his  voice.  And  he 
looked  once  more  out  to  sea,  and  there 
came  that  into  his  face  that  made  me 
to  look,  too. 

Now  there  had  been,  a  moment  be 
fore,  a  veil  of  rain  over  the  surface  of 
the  sea  that  prevented  our  seeing  more 
than  a  little  way.  But  now  the  veil  was 
withdrawn,  and  I  looked,  and  rubbed 
my  eyes,  and  looked  again.  For  there 
came  a  yacht  —  a  steam  yacht,  and  she 
was  steaming  her  best,  and  with  the 
wind  nearly  behind  her  she  came  at 
a  great  pace.  Now  she  was  lost  in  a 


130  THE    CLAMMER 

hollow,  so  that  I  saw  no  more  than 
her  stack,  belching  smoke,  and  now 
she  rose  on  a  wave,  so  that  I  saw  her 
hull.  What  fool,  thought  I,  would 
venture  from  a  safe  harbor  in  such 
weather  ?  If  they  had  left  port  before 
this  storm,  —  well,  it  is  but  a  poor 
skipper  that  knows  the  weather  no 
better,  —  and  they  were  not  like  to 
have  been  a  day's  steaming  from  some 
good  harbor.  And  as  I  thought  these 
things,  the  yacht  was  come  nearer,  and 
I  knew  it,  and  I  knew  that  here  was 
that  certain  rich  man  come  to  plague 
me.  I  even  saw  the  man  himself, 
standing  forward,  and  holding  on  by 
a  stanchion.  And  as  I  saw  I  marveled, 
for  I  had  supposed  the  man  a  coward. 
I  turned  to  Eve.  "  Do  you  know"  — 
But  I  did  not  finish,  for  she  nodded ; 
and  her  look  was  troubled.  I  hated 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    131 

that  rich  man  with  a  mighty  hate. 
And  while  I  still  gazed  into  her  eyes, 
I  saw  them  open  wide  with  horror. 

"  Oh,  Adam,"  she  cried.  "  The  spin 
dle  is  gone,  and  they  will  go  on  the 
rocks !  See ! " 

I  turned.  They  had  come  on  swiftly 
—  too  swiftly  —  and  now  were  headed 
straight  for  the  place  where  the  rock 
lay  hid ;  steaming  headlong  to  destruc 
tion.  I  hesitated  —  I  say  it  to  my 
shame,  though  a  man  is  but  a  man 
after  all — I  hesitated  an  instant;  then 
Old  Goodwin  began  to  shout,  and  I 
shouted,  too,  wading  into  the  water  up 
to  my  waist,  and  waving  my  hands. 
For  I  would  warn  them  farther  off. 
And  at  our  shouting,  the  man  did  but 
get  upon  the  rail,  still  holding  by  the 
stanchion,  and  lean  far  out,  and  put 
his  hand  behind  his  ear.  For  the  wind 


i32  THE   CLAMMER 

whipped  the  words  out  of  our  mouths 
before  they  were  well  spoken,  and  they 
reached  him  not  at  all.  And  the  yacht 
was  but  a  length  from  the  rock.  And 
the  man  understood,  though  he  could 
not  hear,  and  he  leaned  yet  farther 
out,  to  call  up  to  the  captain ;  but  the 
captain  had  understood,  too,  and  she 
was  already  turning.  And  as  we  looked 
and  held  our  breath  for  fear,  she  struck 
with  a  great  shock  and  careened,  and 
the  great  seas  dashed  high  and  hid 
her  for  a  moment.  And  when  she 
rolled  back  again  and  I  could  see,  the 
man  was  gone. 

Then  Eve  shrieked  and  I  cursed, 
under  my  breath,  and  I  hurried  to 
shore ;  and  hastily  I  stripped  off  my 
coats  and  cast  down  my  sou'wester 
upon  them  as  they  lay,  and  tried  to 
pull  off  my  boots.  But  they  were  filled 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    -133 

full  with  water  from  my  wading,  and 
would  not  come.  So  I  pulled  out  my 
knife  and  ripped  them  down  the  side ; 
for  I  was  of  no  mind  to  be  weighted 
down  with  rubber  boots.  Then  they 
came  off  easily  enough,  and  I  rose  and 
looked  at  Eve. 

"  Oh,  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  can  you 
swim  —  in  that  water  ? " 

I  looked  out  upon  the  water  that 
was  roaring  and  racing.  A  fish  might 
fail  to  swim  on  the  top  of  that  water, 
and  be  well  excused  for  failing.  And 
I  was  no  fish,  though  I  could  swim 
passing  well. 

"  Yes,"  I  said. 

"  Then,"  said  Eve,  "  go,  and  God 
keep  you  !  "  And  she  kissed  me,  tak 
ing  no  shame  to  herself  that  her  father 
saw,  and  those  on  the  yacht  —  they 
had  little  leisure  for  observing  —  and 


134  THE    CLAMMER 

some  of  my  neighbors,  who  had  gath 
ered  near,  —  who  had  leisure. 

And,  with  that  kiss  upon  my  lips, 
I  could  have  gone  to  my  death  with 
a  light  heart ;  indeed,  I  knew  not  but 
that  I  was  going  to  it.  So  I  plunged 
in  and  swam,  thinking  as  I  went,  with 
some  bitterness,  that  here  was  I,  risk 
ing  my  life  for  a  man  who  was  come 
but  to  give  me  trouble.  Truly,  I 
thought,  he  has  begun  well,  and  it  will 
be  no  strange  matter  if  the  beginning 
and  the  ending  are  the  same.  Then 
I  was  come  to  an  end  of  my  shelter, 
and  the  wind  tore  at  me,  and  the  waves 
buffeted  me,  so  that  I  was  forced  to 
give  all  my  thought  to  my  swimming; 
and  that  was  well,  too. 

Now  I  have  no  purpose  to  give  an 
account  of  my  fool's  errand  that  I  had 
swum  out  upon,  for  thus  should  I  be 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    135 

but  a  boaster  and  a  braggart  and  one 
marked  out  for  destruction.  But  I 
found  the  man,  —  I  do  not  well  know 
how,  —  and  I  brought  him  to  shore,  to 
Eve  and  Old  Goodwin  waiting  there ; 
and  I  do  not  well  know  how  I  did 
that  either.  And  there  I  left  him,  to 
be  cared  for  by  those  same  neigh 
bors  of  mine,  and  to  recover  or  not, 
as  it  happed  him.  But  I  turned  to 
Eve  before  I  went,  and  she  was  cry 
ing  softly. 

"  Oh,  Adam,  Adam,"  she  said ;  and 
with  that  she  stopped  and  said  no 
more,  for  she  could  not  speak.  But 
she  put  her  arms  about  me,  all  wet  as 
I  was,  and  held  me  tight,  and  I  heard 
her  voice  whispering,  but  I  could  make 
out  no  words.  And  when  she  had 
made  an  end  of  her  whispering,  she 
let  me  go. 


136  THE    CLAMMER 

"  Now,  Adam,"  she  said,  "  you  are 
all  wet,  and  you  are  all  weary.  Do  you 
go  home  and  get  off  those  wet  clothes, 
and  rest  yourself.  And  when  you  are 
all  rested  I  will  come  and  tell  you  how 
he  is." 

So  I  went,  and  weary  I  must  have 
been,  for  I  thought  not  to  marvel  that 
Eve  should  come  to  my  house,  and  I 
gave  no  thought  to  the  yacht,  that  had 
been  in  evil  case  enough  when  I  saw 
her  last.  And  as  I  plodded  along  the 
shore,  it  chanced  that  I  glanced  out 
upon  the  water.  For  the  wind  was  be 
ginning  to  fall  already.  And  the  yacht 
was  on  the  rock,  where  she  had  struck, 
but  she  had  swung  clean  around,  so 
that  her  bow  was  toward  the  seas, 
and  she  seemed  like  to  slide  off.  And 
as  I  looked,  a  boat  put  out  from 
shore  and  pulled  toward  her.  After 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    137 

all,   my   neighbors    have    their   good 
points. 

And  when  I  had  got  into  dry  clothes 
and  had  swallowed  a  draught  of  hot 
tea  I  felt  somewhat  rested.  So  I  went 
out  and  sat  me  down  on  the  seat  un 
der  my  pine.  From  that  place  I  could 
see  the  west,  and  the  clouds  were  some 
what  broken  and  driving  fast,  but  no 
glimpse  of  the  sun  yet,  though  he  must 
be  near  his  setting.  And  out  upon  the 
water  lay  the  yacht,  at  anchor  in  a  spot 
that  was  sheltered,  and  she  was  well 
down  by  the  head.  About  her,  like  a 
flock  of  crows,  were  some  small  boats. 
And  I  looked  no  more  upon  the  yacht, 
but  I  gazed  at  the  tree  like  a  spire, 
that  should  show  against  the  sun's  disk 
as  he  set,  and  I  thought  with  bitter 
ness  on  what  I  had  done ;  and  my 
thoughts  were  the  thoughts  of  Ahab. 


138  THE   CLAMMER 

In  the  bitterness  of  my  heart  I  spoke 
aloud. 

"  Hast  thou  found  me,  O  mine 
enemy  ? " 

And,  even  as  I  spoke,  I  heard  be 
hind  me  the  light  step  that  I  knew 
and  loved,  and  there  was  Eve.  And 
she  sat  upon  the  seat  beside  me. 

I  looked  at  her  questioning.  "  Is  it 
well  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  smiled  up  at  me.  "  It  is  well," 
she  answered ;  and  my  bitterness  fell 
from  me  as  a  garment,  and  I  marveled 
that  it  was  so. 

And  so  we  sat  and  saw  the  twilight 
fail,  early,  and  the  night  fall.  And  out 
upon  the  water,  a  light  marked  where 
the  yacht  lay  at  her  anchor,  and  the 
light  bowed  slowly,  up  and  down  ;  for 
there  yet  was  a  swell  coming  in,  al 
though  the  wind  had  fallen.  And 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    139 

peace  fell  upon  my  spirit,  and  a  great 
content. 

Under  my  great  pine  is  a  pleasant 
place  for  a  man  —  or  for  a  Daugh 
ter  of  the  Rich,  as  I  make  bold  to 
guess  —  with  a  heart  at  ease.  And  for 
a  certain  rich  man  it  might,  indeed,  be 
pleasant  under  my  pine,  —  I  did  not 
know.  But  I  was  to  find  out,  for  a 
week  had  gone  by  since  I  hauled  him 
ashore  like  any  drifting  mess  of  sea 
weed,  and  with  no  more  life  in  him,  as 
it  seemed,  than  in  the  weed ;  his  legs 
and  his  arms  trailing  in  the  water. 
And,  Eve  asking  it,  I  invited  him  to 
my  clambake  that  I  made  to  pleasure 
Old  Goodwin.  From  my  seat  against 
the  tree  he  might  look  out  upon  my 
clam  beds.  But  it  might  well  be  that 
he  would  not  care  for  clam  beds ;  for 


140  THE    CLAMMER 

every  Rich  man  is  not  an  Old  Good 
win.  And  he  might  see,  too,  the  place 
where  he  so  nearly  lost  his  life.  And 
it  might  well  be  that  he  would  not  care 
for  that,  either.  But  he  should  have 
the  chance.  And,  to  make  the  tale  com 
plete,  I  had  asked  Mrs.  Goodwin,  too. 
It  was  there,  just  without  the  shadow 
of  the  pine,  that  the  hole  was  scooped 
in  the  ground,  and  lined  with  great 
stones.  Indeed,  this  was  already  done ; 
for  had  I  not  had  a  clambake  there  ? 
And,  that  I  might  not  forget  it  — 
there  was  little  danger  of  my  forget 
ting —  and,  too,  that  I  might  have 
other  clambakes,  I  had  left  the  hole  as 
it  was,  and  the  great  stones.  And  on 
these  stones  I  kindled  a  fire  that  roared 
high ;  and  when  it  had  burned  long 
and  the  stones  were  hot  I  raked  the 
ashes  off.  And  Old  Goodwin  helped 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH    141 

me,  and  he  whistled  as  he  worked. 
He  was  no  artist  at  the  whistling,  but 
yet  it  gave  me  pleasure  to  see  him  so 
well  pleased,  so  that  I  must  needs  join 
him  in  his  whistling ;  and  I  am  no 
artist  at  it,  either.  But  we  were  merry 
at  our  whistling,  and  we  made  so  great 
a  racket  with  it  that  any  one  would 
have  thought  to  hear  us,  there  was  a 
flock  of  strange  birds  and  it  was  spring 
time  ;  instead  of  which  it  was  fall  and 
the  birds  had  left,  except  some  robins 
and  some  sparrows  and  the  meadow- 
larks.  And  even  they  were  silent. 
And  the  terns  had  gone,  too,  —  that 
always  marks  the  change  of  season, 
for  me,  —  and  the  winter  gulls  had 
come  to  take  their  place. 

And  when,  at  last,  we  had  the  em 
bers  all  raked  off  and  the  stones  clean, 
Old  Goodwin  leaned  upon  his  rake 


142  THE    CLAMMER 

and  wiped  his  forehead.  It  was  hot 
there,  so  near  the  hot  stones,  and  the 
fire  just  burned  out.  And  he  began 
to  laugh,  for  sheer  pleasure  and  for 
the  merriment  that  he  might  hold  in 
no  longer ;  and,  laughing,  he  could 
whistle  no  more. 

"Adam,"  he  said,  "do  you  know 
what  it  is  that  you  are  whistling?" 

And  I  stopped  long  enough  to  an 
swer.  "  No,"  I  said.  "  It  does  not  mat 
ter.  Make  a  glad  noise." 

And,  with  that,  I  began  to  sing ; 
and  I  am  only  worse  at  singing  than 
I  am  at  whistling.  But  what  cared  I? 
And  Old  Goodwin,  as  soon  as  he  could, 
for  his  laughter,  joined  me  in  singing. 
And  he  sang  worse  than  I.  But  we 
cared  not  at  all,  —  our  hearts  were  at 
ease,  —  and  took  our  forks  and  shook 
down  upon  the  stones  fresh  seaweed 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     143 

from  the  pile,  and  on  the  seaweed  laid 
the  clams  that  I  had  digged  that  morn 
ing.  Then,  more  seaweed ;  and  the 
other  things,  according  to  their  season, 
orderly,  in  layers  :  the  lobsters,  and  the 
fish,  fresh  caught,  and  the  chicken,  not 
too  fresh,  and  sweet  potatoes  and  white, 
and  the  last  of  my  corn  that  had  sur 
vived  the  storm.  I  had  a  fear  that  the 
ears  might  not  be  well  filled  —  but  it 
was  fresh  and  tender.  And  over  all 
we  piled  the  weed  and  made  a  dome 
that  smoked  and  steamed  and  filled 
the  air  with  incense. 

Then,  our  work  done,  we  sat  there 
and  looked  out,  and  were  silent.  At 
last  Old  Goodwin  spoke,  and  he  was 
looking  at  the  smoking  dome. 

"  Adam,"  he  said,  "  will  there  be  an 
other  clambake  after  this  ?  " 

"  I  fear   not,"  I  answered.    "  For  it 


144  THE    CLAMMER 

gets  on  toward  winter,  and  it  will  be 
too  cold.  But  when  summer  comes 
again  we  may  have  many,  we  three." 

He  looked  at  me  and  smiled.  "  I 
feared  this  was  the  last,"  he  said.  "  But 
when  summer  comes  again  we  will 
have  many  —  God  willing.  You  are 
good  to  please  an  old  man  so.  I  thank 
you,  Adam." 

Now  that  was  nothing  more  than  a 
figure  of  speech  for  him  to  call  him 
self  an  old  man.  For  he  was  a  very 
boy,  and  could  whistle  and  sing  and 
dig  clams  and  mess  about,  and  youth 
was  in  his  heart.  And  who,  having 
youth  in  his  heart,  can  be  rightly  called 
old  ?  Indeed,  in  point  of  years,  he  was 
not  old;  for  he  was  not  turned  sixty, 
as  I  should  have  guessed.  But  he 
was  again  silent,  gazing  at  the  smok 
ing  dome  of  weed,  and  I  made  no  an- 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     145 

swer,  but  I  gazed  out  over  the  water. 
And  presently  Old  Goodwin  rose  and 
went  to  garb  himself,  for  he  was 
dressed  in  his  clammer's  clothes,  that 
were  well  stained  with  mud  and  with 
salt  water  and  with  clams.  And  then 
I,  too,  would  change  my  clothes,  for  I 
was  no  better  dressed  than  he. 

And  when  I  was  all  arrayed  I  set 
out  along  the  shore,  and  my  heart 
beat  was  too  high,  by  far;  but  my 
spirits  were  high,  too,  so  that  I  scarce 
kept  from  singing  aloud,  or  from  wav 
ing  my  arms  and  shouting  at  the  deep- 
sounding  sea.  But  I  remembered  that 
certain  Rich  man  that  I  was  to  meet. 
What  would  he  think  of  a  clammer 
that  sang  aloud,  by  himself,  —  and 
most  outrageously,  —  or  that  shouted 
an  occasional  line  from  Homer  —  what 
could  he  think,  but  that  I  knew  no 


146  THE    CLAMMER 

better  —  and  no  more?  So  I  strode 
along  the  shore  and  came  to  the  bank 
where  the  sod  broke  off  to  the  sand 
and  the  pebbles  shone  in  the  sun  ;  for 
the  storm  had  spared  them.  And  I 
sat  not  down,  but  paced  to  and  fro. 
And  soon  came  Eve,  and  up  leaped 
my  heart  into  my  throat  and  choked 
me ;  and  behind  her  came  Old  Good 
win  and  that  other  Rich  man.  A  mo 
ment  only  Eve  smiled  at  me  and  then 
she  stood  aside.  And  that  other  Rich 
man  stepped  forward  and  broke  in 
upon  Old  Goodwin's  speech ;  for  he 
would  have  introduced  us. 

"  We  need  no  introduction,"  he  said. 
"  Thanks  seem  a  poor  thing  enough 
to  give  in  return  for  my  life,  but  I  can 
offer  you  no  more." 

I  took  the  hand  he  held  out,  and 
I  murmured  something,  I  know  not 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     147 

what,  about  its  being  of  no  conse 
quence, —  which,  indeed,  it  was  not, 
though  I  should  not  have  said  so. 
And  we  looked  each  other  up  and 
down,  and  either  measured  other.  And 
what  he  thought  of  me  I  did  not 
know  —  nor  care. 

So  we  wended  along  the  shore  to 
the  steep  path,  and  Eve  walked  beside 
me.  She  was  not  in  white  now,  for  it 
was  cool,  with  a  sharp  wind  out  of  the 
northwest.  Indeed,  what  she  had  on  I 
did  not  know  —  some  dark  stuff  gown 
that  well  became  her —  I  was  not  look 
ing  at  her  gown.  No  doubt  I  was 
grinning  like  any  idiot ;  but  I  did  not 
hold  her  hand,  for  behind  us  walked 
Old  Goodwin  and  that  Rich  man  —  that 
Rich  man  that  I  would  have  cast  into 
the  sea  so  short  a  time  before.  And, 
walking  so,  we  came  to  the  steep  path 


148  THE    CLAMMER 

and  climbed  it,  and  we  stood  beneath 
my  pine.  And  before  the  seat  against 
the  tree  stood  my  table  that  I  had  made 
large  enough  for  four;  but  the  seat 
was  unchanged,  and  it  held  but  two. 

Old  Goodwin  looked  upon  the  seat, 
and  he  said  no  word,  but  he  smiled 
his  quiet  smile  and  betook  him  to  my 
shed.  I  bethought  me  of  the  other 
guest  that  I  had  asked. 

"And  Mrs.  Goodwin?"  I  said.  "Will 
she  not  come?"  But  I  did  but  jest, 
for  I  had  had  no  idea  that  she  would 
come. 

And  that  Rich  man  spoke,  and  what 
he  said  was  a  surprise  to  me.  "  Mrs. 
Goodwin  wished  me  to  say,"  said  he, 
"  that  she  feared  to  catch  cold  as  the 
wind  is  somewhat  biting.  But  she 
thanks  you  for  asking  her." 

Then    I   looked    at    Eve,   and    she 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     149 

seemed  surprised,  too.  But  Old  Good 
win  had  found  his  box  that  he  had  sat 
upon  before,  and  he  brought  it  out  and 
set  it  by  the  table. 

"  I  will  sit  here,"  he  said.  "  I  have  an 
affection  for  this  box.  It  tilts  nicely." 

And  that  other  stared  a  moment. 
"I  wonder,"  he  said  at  last,  "if  there  is 
another  —  no,  no."  For  I  had  started 
for  the  shed.  "  Let  me  get  it." 

And  I  laughed  and  nodded,  and  he 
went.  And  we  heard  a  tremendous 
racket,  and  presently  he  came,  bringing 
a  box  that  was  the  fellow  to  Old  Good 
win's.  Laughing,  too,  he  set  it  down. 

"  There  !  "  he  said.  "  And  now  for 
the  clams."  He  looked  at  me.  "  Is 
there  a  fork  for  me  ?  You  must  let 
me  help." 

"  Heaven  forbid ! "  I  said  hastily. 
"  You  and  Eve  are  the  guests." 


150  THE    CLAMMER 

And  so  Eve  and  he  sat,  while  Old 
Goodwin  helped  me.  And  I  took  my 
fork  and  opened  the  smoking  dome, 
and  together  we  set  upon  the  table 
corn  and  potatoes,  both  sweet  and 
white,  and  a  chicken  and  some  fish  and 
the  lobsters  ;  and  last  of  all  a  great 
pan  of  clams.  And  the  rest,  upon  the 
hot  stones,  I  covered  again  with  sea 
weed  ;  but  not  deep,  for  soon  we  should 
want  more  clams  —  and  more  fish  and 
another  chicken,  for  here  were  three 
good  men  to  eat  them ;  and  what 
three  men  can  eat  at  a  clambake  is 
nothing  less  than  a  marvel.  Eve  did 
her  part,  too.  And  Old  Goodwin,  set 
ting  the  things  upon  the  table,  was  as 
pleased  as  Punch.  And  as  I  pitched 
the  weed,  again  I  heard  Eve  laughing. 

"  Now,  who  would  believe,"  she  said, 
"that  had  not  seen,"  — 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     151 

But  Old  Goodwin  interrupted  her 
cheerily.  "  Not  a  bit  too  much  —  not 
half  enough,"  he  said. 

So  Eve  and  I  sat  side  by  side  upon 
the  bench,  and  the  two  Rich  men  sat 
opposite,  on  their  boxes.  And  no 
sound  was  heard  save  the  noise  of  the 
wind  that  whispered  softly  in  the  tree 
above,  and  the  noise  of  the  clam  shells 
as  they  struck  upon  the  ground  among 
their  fellows  that  had  gone  before. 
And  if  we  spoke  little  or  not  at  all,  but 
only  ate,  we  were  merry  at  our  eating, 
which,  as  I  have  heard,  wards  off  dys 
pepsia.  For  dyspepsia  abides  not  with 
them  that  are  merry,  but  is  mortally 
afraid  of  a  laugh.  And  those  two  Rich 
men  got  to  tilting  back  and  forth  upon 
their  boxes  —  they  had  been  too  busy 
at  the  first  —  and,  having  eaten  a  pro 
digious  quantity  of  clams  and  all  things 


152  THE   CLAMMER 

else,  they  fell  a-laughing  as  they  had 
been  two  boys ;  and  they  called  for 
more  clams.  So  I  opened  the  bake 
again,  and,  behold,  there  were  no  clams 
left,  not  one,  so  that  I  marveled  at  it. 

I  must  have  looked  blank  with 
astonishment.  "  Now  who  would  have 
supposed,"  said  I,  "  that  we  could  have 
eaten  them  all  ?  For  I  thought  that  I 
had  had  enough  for  six  at  least." 

At  that  Old  Goodwin  burst  out 
laughing  afresh.  "  If  you  could  have 
seen  your  face,  Adam !  But  never 
mind.  No  doubt  we  have  eaten  more 
than  is  good  for  us,  as  it  is." 

"  I  am  sure  of  that,"  I  observed. 
And  the  two  Rich  men,  filled  full  of 
lobster  and  corn  and  clams,  did  but 
laugh  again,  and  they  tilted  upon  their 
boxes.  And  I  was  filled  full,  too,  but 
with  content  more  than  with  clams,  so 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     153 

that  the  wind  that  sighed  in  my  pine 
sighed  merrily. 

We  sat  long  at  my  little  table  under 
my  great  tree,  but  at  last  it  was  cold, 
for  the  sun  was  gone  behind  a  black 
cloud.  And  Old  Goodwin  rose,  reluc 
tantly,  and  that  other  Rich  man  rose 
too,  and  his  pocket  that  had  been 
toward  Old  Goodwin  bulged.  And 
when  he  emptied  it  there  were  clam 
shells  that  Old  Goodwin  had  deposited 
there.  And  he  laughed  —  I  thought 
him  good  to  laugh  —  I  fear  that,  in  his 
place,  I  should  not  have  laughed  — 
and  he  chased  Old  Goodwin.  And 
when  he  had  caught  him  and  had 
filled  his  pocket  with  the  shells,  he 
came  and  stood  before  us,  where  we 
yet  sat  upon  the  seat. 

"  I  have  to  thank  you,"  he  said  to 
me,  and  his  laugh  was  gone,  "  for  the 


154  THE    CLAMMER 

pleasantest  time  and  the  most  delicious 
feast  that  I  have  had  in  many  a  long 
day."  Then  he  hesitated  and  looked 
away  a  moment;  but  presently  his 
eyes  came  back  to  mine.  "  You  are  a 
better  man  than  I  am,  Adam,  and  bet 
ter  worthy  of  her.  From  my  heart  I 
wish  you  joy.  I  shall  not  come  again 
to  plague  you."  Again  he  looked  away. 
"  And  I  shall  say  as  much  to  Mrs. 
Goodwin,  — with  your  permission." 

And  I  stood,  and  took  the  hand  he 
offered ;  but  I  did  not  speak.  I  could 
not  for  a  moment.  Then  I  mumbled 
something,  I  know  not  what,  about  his 
kindness.  But  it  did  not  matter  what 
I  said.  And  my  heart  warmed  to  him, 
and  I  was  sorry  for  him  —  he  had  lost 
so  much  —  but  he  took  it  as  a  man 
should.  I  thought  nothing  of  his  hav 
ing  called  me  Adam ;  indeed,  I  doubted 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     155 

if  he  knew  it.  And  so  he  went,  quickly, 
without  so  much  as  looking  back,  and 
Old  Goodwin  followed  him  as  quickly, 
and  they  went  down  the  steep  path, 
and  we  heard  their  laughter.  And  I 
turned  to  Eve,  and  she  smiled  up  at 
me. 

"  Oh,  Adam,"  she  cried,  softly,  "  if 
we  only  could !" 

"  We  can  but  try,  Eve,"  I  answered, 
smiling  back  at  her ;  "  and  we  will.  He 
seems  worth  it."  And.  then  I  mused 
awhile,  and  at  last  I  spoke  my  thoughts. 
"  Eve,"  I  said,  "why  did  you  choose 
me?" 

She  looked  at  me,  her  eyes  wide. 
"  Why  did  I  choose  you  ?  "  she  asked, 
perplexed.  "  What  do  you  mean, 
Adam  ?  Would  you  give  me  up  ?  " 

"  Now,  God  forbid,"  I  cried,  "  that  I 
should  do  that  thing !  What  man,  hav- 


156  THE   CLAMMER 

ing  got  you,  would  give  you  up  ?  But 
that  Rich  man"- 

She  laughed,  a  merry  laugh.  "Why, 
that  is  simple  —  as  simple  as  life  itself. 
I  chose  you  because  I  loved  you,  and 
I  did  not  love  that  Rich  man.  And 
why  it  should  be  so  I  do  not  know." 

And  what  I  did  at  that,  I  leave  it  to 
any  to  guess;  for  Old  Goodwin  was 
gone  and  that  other,  and  there  was  no 
one  there  save  only  Eve  and  me,  under 
my  great  tree. 

"I  thank  Heaven  that  it  is  so,"  I 
said,  at  last,  "  and  what  the  reason  is 
I  do  not  care." 

And,  at  that,  the  black  cloud  that  was 
before  the  sun  spilled  a  few  drops,  great 
drops  that  splashed  as  they  struck.  For 
it  was  well  over  us,  and  almost  passed. 

Eve  was  distressed.  "Adam,"  she 
said,  "  do  you  believe  in  signs  ?  " 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     157 

"  Yes,"  I  answered,  "  if  you  like. 
Would  you  take  that  cloud  to  be  a 
sign  ? " 

She  nodded,  saying  nothing. 

"  Well,"  said  I,  rising,  "so  be  it.  But 
come  where  we  can  see  the  east,  and 
I  will  interpret  for  you." 

So  she  rose,  too,  and  together  we 
went  down  the  steep  path  and  along 
the  shore.  And  as  we  went  I  inter 
preted  for  her  in  this  wise. 

"  The  shadow  of  that  cloud,  Eve, 
that  seems  so  black,  is  the  shadow  of  a 
sorrow.  And  the  cause  is  the  behavior 
of  your  mother,  who  will  have  none  of 
me  for  a  son-in-law,  —  who  says  that 
she  will  not  come  to  your  wedding  — 
if  I  am  there.  And  the  drops  are  your 
tears,  —  or  hers ;  for  I  do  not  doubt 
that  she  has  shed  many  tears  over  this 
same  matter.  But  the  cloud,  although 


i58  THE    CLAMMER 

it  is  black,  is  not  large  and  it  is  passed. 
Look,  Eve ;  you  can  see  the  sun." 

And  as  I  spoke,  the  sun  was  peep 
ing  under  the  western  edge,  and  we 
saw  his  disk  grow  until  we  could  look 
at  him  no  longer.  And  we  were  come 
to  the  bank,  where  the  pebbles  shone 
red  in  the  sun.  For  he  was  near  his 
setting. 

"  Now,"  said  I,  "  I  may  have  to  wait 
some  while  for  the  rest  of  my  inter 
preting." 

And  we  waited,  watching  in  silence, 
for  some  minutes.  And  the  cloud  was 
gone  from  above  us,  into  the  east,  and 
there  were  no  more  drops;  but  under 
the  cloud  it  was  raining  hard.  And 
there  began  to  form  a  bow :  first  a 
patch  of  color  here  and  a  patch  there  ; 
then,  gradually,  the  patches  joined  by 
fainter  parts  ;  then  those  faint  parts 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     159 

brightened  into  a  perfect  bow  with  its 
ends  dipping  into  the  sea,  and  with  all 
its  colors  perfect.  And  as  we  gazed 
there  formed,  within  the  first,  another 
bow,  and  yet  a  third — though  one 
must  look  hard  to  find  it. 

"Indeed,  Eve,"  I  said  softly,  "it 
needs  no  interpreter." 

And  Eve  smiled  up  at  me.  But  the 
marvels  were  not  yet  done ;  for  there 
came  broad  sheaves  of  light  that  over 
spread  the  bows,  but  did  not  hide 
them.  And  there,  at  the  centre  of  the 
bows,  was  a  tiny  sail ;  and  the  sail  was 
brighter  than  aught  else,  and  it  was  as 
if  the  sheaves  of  light  had  issued  from 
it.  And  above  were  great  masses  of 
cloud,  roll  upon  roll,  and  the  sun,  in 
his  setting,  spread  them  with  all  man 
ner  of  saffron  and  scarlet  and  crim 
son,  and  with  all  the  delicate  shades  of 


i6o  THE    CLAMMER 

pink  that  are  known  to  man  —  and 
with  many  that  man,  with  all  his  skill, 
knows  nothing  of.  But  the  shadows 
were  blue  or  lilac  or  purple.  And  we 
gazed  long,  until  the  brightness  began 
to  fade.  Then  Eve  sighed,  saying  no 
thing.  The  sun  had  dropped  behind 
the  western  hills;  and  the  twilight 
faded  swiftly,  and  the  night  was  come. 

There  is  a  restlessness  that  seizes 
upon  men  in  certain  case.  I  had  felt 
it  before,  and  had  wandered  the  shores 
with  my  basket  upon  my  arm  and  my 
hoe  in  my  hand  ;  and  I  had  digged 
here  and  there  as  the  fancy  took  me. 
But  the  clams  that  I  digged  lay  for 
gotten  upon  the  sands,  to  bury  them 
selves  once  more;  while  I,  seated  upon 
a  barnacle -covered  rock  —  or  even 
standing  —  gazed  and  gazed  and  saw 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     161 

nothing  of  what  was  before  me  until 
the  tide,  lapping  about  my  ankles, 
brought  me  to  myself.  And  then, 
with  a  heart-breaking  sigh,  I  would 
shoulder  my  hoe  and  again  betake  me 
to  wandering  the  shores.  Then  Eve 
had  been  the  cause,  for  I  had  not  got 
her;  but  at  least  I  might  find  my  con 
tent  again  at  sunset,  when  I  sat  upon 
the  bank,  where  the  sod  breaks  off  to 
the  sand,  with  her  beside  me.  Now, 
Eve  was  the  cause,  too,  and  my  con 
tent  was  fled  from  me;  and  though  I 
might  sit  upon  the  bank,  I  sat  alone, 
or  with  no  one  but  Old  Goodwin.  And 
Old  Goodwin  was  well  enough,  but  he 
was  not  Eve.  And  I  had  no  joy  in  the 
colors  that  the  Great  Painter  spread 
so  lavishly,  but  was  ill-tempered  and 
out  of  sorts,  giving  short  answers  to 
the  remarks  Old  Goodwin  made,  and 


i6a  THE    CLAMMER 

never  sitting  still  five  minutes.  And 
Old  Goodwin  but  smiled  his  quiet 
smile  and  was  very  patient  with  me ; 
he  knew  well  the  cause  of  my  sour 
temper.  For  Eve  had  betaken  herself 
to  the  city,  that  she  might  the  better 
make  preparation  for  a  certain  Event. 
What  Event  that  was,  it  is  but  a  dull 
ard  that  cannot  guess ;  and  it  was 
eighty  days  off,  and  then  it  was  seventy. 
Eighty  aeons  —  with  Eve  away.  But  I 
diverted  myself  by  counting  it  in  hours, 
then  in  minutes.  It  was  a  prodigious 
number  of  minutes  —  but  I  took  what 
comfort  I  might  in  it. 

Then,  one  morning,  I  awoke  at 
dawn,  and,  as  I  leaned  from  my  win 
dow,  I  saw  the  ground  all  white  with 
frost.  Then  the  east  was  grown  all 
red,  a  narrow  line  of  color  changing 
to  yellow  and  a  faint  green,  and  on  a 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     163 

sudden  the  sun  popped  up.  And  then 
I  got  to  thinking  of  that  other  dawn 
that  Eve  and  I  had  seen,  and  content 
abode  with  me  no  longer.  And  I  drew 
in  my  head  and  dressed  in  sullen  haste 
and  went  down  to  breakfast  It  was  a 
good  breakfast,  but  gall  and  worm 
wood  had  been  sweeter  in  my  mouth 
if  I  could  but  find  again  that  peace  I 
sought;  and,  having  done,  I  lighted 
my  pipe  and  went  forth.  Sighing,  I 
betook  me  —  not  to  the  shore —  I  had 
traveled  that  until  I  knew  each  peb 
ble,  and  I  had  not  found  content ;  but 
the  woods  were  gorgeous  —  I  betook 
me  to  the  woods.  Perchance  content 
had  taken  refuge  there. 

So  all  that  day  I  wandered  the  wood, 
seeing  the  red  of  the  dogwood  and 
of  the  sumach,  the  reds  and  yellows  of 
the  maples,  and  the  yellow  leaves  of 


164  THE    CLAMMER 

the  birches  showing  against  the  white 
trunks;  and  here  and  there  a  clump 
of  pine,  their  dark  green  the  darker 
for  the  color  with  which  they  were 
surrounded.  But  I  found  no  beauty  in 
any.  Truly  content  was  not  there;  or, 
if  it  were,  I  found  it  not.  And  I  saw 
the  seed-pods  lifting  on  their  dry  stems, 
and  the  rotting  logs  and  the  dead 
leaves.  I  sat  me  down  on  a  log,  and 
from  my  pocket  I  drew  forth  a  bundle 
of  letters.  They  were  Eve's  letters  — 
and  one  for  each  day  that  she  had  been 
gone  from  me — and  I  read  them  all 
through  again — for  the  hundredth 
time.  When  I  was  done  the  sun  was 
on  his  downward  journey,  and  I  had 
found  some  measure  of  peace  —  and  I 
bethought  me  that  it  was  almost  time 
for  another  letter.  I  seized  my  stick 
and  hurried  home. 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     165 

And  with  days  like  this  one,  or, 
later,  with  days  when  I  sat  moping 
before  my  fire,  a  book  in  my  hand, 
my  tale  of  days  was  coming  to  an  end. 
I  had  great  fireplaces,  fitting  for  the 
chimneys,  and  I  would  gaze  deep  into 
the  glowing  heart  of  one  of  them,  my 
book  forgotten.  I  thanked  Heaven 
that  I  was  alone.  For  I  was  no  less 
than  a  fool.  I  knew  it  well;  but  I  had 
no  power  to  do  otherwise  —  the  veri 
est  lovesick  boy  might  give  me  points 
—  and  then  would  come  the  post 
man's  knock  at  the  door —  I  knew  that 
knock,  you  may  be  sure,  and,  as  it 
went  clattering  through  the  house,  — 
before  its  echoes  had  died  away,  — 
I  was  on  my  feet,  and  running.  And  I 
would  open  to  him,  and  he,  with  a 
knowing  smile,  would  hand  me  my 
letter,  and  make  some  foolish  remark 


166  THE    CLAMMER 

about  the  weather.  The  weather,  for 
sooth  !  What  knew  I  about  the  wea 
ther?  It  might  be  raining  great  guns, 
but  for  me  the  sun  was  shining  —  with 
that  letter.  And  so  I  made  him  some 
answer  —  which  was  as  like  to  be  wise 
as  foolish,  for  I  doubt  if  he  ever  heard 
it  clearly —  I  do  not  remember  one  of 
those  answers — and  I  shut  the  door 
before  he  was  well  turned  about,  and  I 
hurried  back  to  my  fire  to  read — but 
not  my  book. 

So  at  last  my  tale  of  days  was  done, 
and  Eve  was  come  home.  And  I  awoke 
one  morning  to  see  a  thin  skimming 
of  ice,  crisp  and  crackling,  spread  over 
every  shallow  pool,  and  it  was  well 
into  November.  And  my  breakfast 
was  ambrosia  and  nectar,  being  the 
same  that  had  been  gall  and  worm 
wood  before  ;  for  Eve  was  come.  And 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     167 

if  I  did  not  eat  much,  why,  that  love 
sick  boy  that  I  have  mentioned  can 
tell  you  why  it  was.  Then  having 
done,  I  hurried  off,  and  on  every  shal 
low  pool  that  was  skimmed  with  ice  I 
slid.  And  the  ice  rose  up  before  my 
feet,  and  broke  into  a  thousand  pieces 
behind  them ;  but  I  did  not  wet  so 
much  as  the  sole  of  my  shoe.  And  I 
hurried  over  to  my  clam  beds ;  for 
there,  I  thought,  shall  I  find  my  lost 
content. 

The  sun  lay  warm  upon  the  bank, 
where  the  pebbles  shone  in  the  sun, 
but  no  Eve  was  there.  And  I  paced 
to  and  fro,  fuming  with  impatience, 
my  head  down  upon  my  breast.  For 
I  found  not  content,  having  been  cer 
tain  that  I  should  find  it  that  had  been 
lost  to  me  for  a  month  and  more. 
And  as  I  paced  the  shore,  to  and  fro, 


168  THE    CLAMMER 

there  came  a  light  touch  upon  my 
shoulder.  I  turned  swiftly,  and  there 
was  Eve,  her  eyes  shining.  And  I  — 
but  I  know  not  what  I  did  —  and,  if  I 
knew,  I  would  not  tell. 

"  Eve,  Eve,"  I  cried,  my  voice  shak 
ing,  "  you  were  gone  so  long !  " 

And  she  only  smiled  up  at  me,  the 
same  smile  that  I  had  seen  so  often 
in  my  dreaming  before  my  fire  ;  and  I 
knew  that  I  had  found  again  that  peace 
that  had  been  so  long  lost.  And  what 
we  did  then  is  for  my  Eve  and  me  to  re 
member  ;  but  presently  we  found  our 
selves  sitting  upon  the  bank,  and  the 
ice  was  gone  from  the  shore  and  the 
sun  shone  warm. 

"  And  when  shall  I  see,"  I  asked, 
"  your  finery  ?  So  long  a  visit  should 
accomplish  much." 

She  laughed,  a  merry  laugh.   "  Shall 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     169 

a  bride  not  be  properly  fitted  out  ?  " 
she  answered.  And  she  said  it  softly, 
as  if  she  were  half  ashamed ;  and  at 
that  I  kissed  her,  —  I  could  not  help 
it.  Eve  did  not  chide  me  for  it.  "  And 
you  shall  see  all  my  finery  —  on  Christ 
mas  day,  or  any  day  after." 

Then  I  looked  blank,  I  do  not 
doubt,  and  she  laughed  again  her 
merry  laugh.  For  Christmas  day  is  to 
be  our  wedding  day.  But  I  had  Eve. 
That  was  enough  —  and  she  had  pro 
mised  that  she  would  not  go  away 
again.  And  we  sat  there,  talking  or 
silent,  as  the  whim  took  us,  until  Eve 
was  cold. 

So  the  days  passed,  and  I  was 
happy ;  and  the  leaves  of  the  wood, 
that  had  been  red  and  yellow  and 
bronze,  turned  to  a  dull  brown  and 
fell,  whirling  ;  but  the  oaks  kept  theirs, 


170  THE    CLAMMER 

and  they  rattled  in  each  breeze.  And 
the  ice  formed  on  the  shore,  great 
jagged  cakes  that  covered  my  clam 
beds  and  the  bank  as  well,  so  that  we 
could  not  see  the  pebbles.  And  though 
the  sunsets  came  earlier  with  each  day 
that  passed,  it  was  become  too  cold 
to  stay  and  see  them.  But  the  days  of 
my  waiting  were  grown  less  and  less, 
till  there  was  but  one  left.  Still,  there 
was  no  snow.  And  the  morrow  was 
Christmas  day. 

I  was  prowling  the  shores  that  morn 
ing,  looking  for  Eve  —  as  I  ever  did 
when  I  was  not  with  her.  And  as  I 
made  my  way  carefully  among  the 
broken  cakes  of  ice  that  the  tide  had 
left,  I  saw  her  coming  down  the  path 
under  the  trees.  I  hurried  —  and 
looked  again  —  and,  behold,  it  was 
not  Eve  at  all,  but  a  lady  clad  in 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     171 

furs,  and  seeming  proud  and  haughty. 
And  she  came  near  the  bank,  and  so 
did  I. 

"  I  wished  to  speak  with  you,"  she 
said.  And  I  bowed  low.  But  what 
she  said  next  astonished  me. 

"  You  have  robbed  me  of  a  daugh 
ter,"  she  said  again,  her  head  high,  — 
"  and  you  a  fisherman  !  " 

Again  I  bowed  low,  saying  nothing. 
What  should  I  say  to  that  ?  Had  she 
not  been  told  ?  I  had  ado  not  to  laugh 
—  but  I  did  not,  only  bowed.  And  yet 
again  she  spoke. 

"  You  have  robbed  me  of  a  daugh 
ter,"  she  repeated ;  "  but  I  will  come 
to  your  wedding  —  to  my  daughter's 
wedding.  I  wished  you  to  know  that, 
so  I  came  to  tell  you." 

And  I  thought  she  would  have  wept, 
but  she  did  not  For  she  was  proud  — 


172  THE    CLAMMER 

and  now  I  realized  where  my  Eve 
Had  got  her  beauty.  But  I  had  found 
my  tongue  at  last. 

"  I  thank  you,  madam,"  said  I ; 
"and  I  am  grateful  for  so  little.  I 
should  be  the  more  grateful  for  a 
little  more  —  for  Eve's  sake  more 
than  for  my  own  —  I  am  not  your 
enemy,  come  to  rob  you,  and  if  you 
would"  — 

"  You  have  robbed  me  of  a  daugh 
ter,"  she  broke  in,  and  turned  swiftly, 
and  was  gone  up  the  path,  her  head 
high.  But  I  could  hear  her  weeping, 
though  she  tried  to  still  it.  And  so  I 
stood  and  watched  her  out  of  sight 
among  the  trees. 

I  was  telling  Eve  of  it  that  after 
noon.  And  the  sun  was  low,  though 
it  was  early.  Eve  listened  in  silence, 
watching  the  sun. 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     173 

"  Let  us  stay  and  say  good-night  to 
him,"  she  said,  at  last. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  I  answered. 
"  But  let  us  walk,  Eve.  You  will  be 
the  warmer." 

And  so  she  slipped  her  hand  within 
my  arm,  and  we  walked  to  and  fro 
along  the  shore,  and  we  watched  the 
sun.  And,  on  a  sudden,  I  looked  at 
Eve,  and  her  eyes  were  filled  with 
tears.  And  I  stopped  short. 

"  What  is  it,  Eve  ?  "  I  asked. 

u  This  is  the  last  sunset,  Adam,"  she 
said  softly,  "  that  Eve  Goodwin  will 
ever  see." 

And  the  tears  fell,  and  she  was 
weeping.  My  heart  stood  still. 

"  And  you  are  sorry,  Eve  ?  "  I  said  ; 
and  I  scarce  knew  my  own  voice. 
"  Would  you  draw  back  ?  " 

"  No,   oh,    no,    Adam,"    she    cried. 


174  THE    CLAMMER 

"Not  that  — I  did  not  mean  that.  I 
do  not  regret  —  anything.  But  —  let 
me  cry  a  little." 

"Cry  to  your  heart's  content,"  I  said, 
and  smiled  upon  her ;  for  my  heart 
was  going  again  —  like  a  hammer. 

And  so  she  wept  and  smiled  at 
once,  and  then  she  wept  again.  And 
presently  she  was  done,  her  heart 
eased.  And  the  sun  was  sitting  on 
the  western  hills. 

"  See,"  I  said.  "  He  has  stopped  his 
southern  journey,  and  has  started  back 
again." 

And  Eve  said  nothing,  but  she 
clasped  my  fingers  close  in  hers,  and 
we  saw  the  sun  spreading  the  still  wa 
ters  with  all  manner  of  reds  and  pur 
ples  and  shimmering  greens.  And  as 
the  last  thin  line  of  red  vanished  be 
hind  the  hills,  we  saluted.  And  Eve 


A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  RICH     175 

murmured  something,  I  knew  not 
what. 

"  Good-night,  Adam,"  she  said. 

"  Good-night,  Eve  —  for  the  last 
time,"  I  whispered  in  return. 

And  she  fled  up  the  path  under  the 
trees. 

For  to-morrow  will  be  Christmas 
day ;  to-morrow  the  gates  will  open. 


Ill 

OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE 

MY  friends  like  me  well  enough,  as 
I  have  some  reason  to  suppose; 
for  although  I  am  as  peculiar  as  I  ever 
was,  they  no  longer  remonstrate  with 
me  as  they  used  to  do.  Perhaps  they 
think  that  marriage  has  cured  me  of 
all  my  queerness  —  the  summer  is  not 
yet  come  to  prove  the  contrary.  And 
I  may  be  sure  that,  when  it  does 
come,  I  shall  roam  the  shores,  as  I 
ever  did,  and  hunt  the  elusive  clam, 
as  I  ever  did ;  and  dig,  or  gaze,  as 
ever ;  and  whether  the  one  or  the 
other,  depends  upon  my  fancy  at  the 
moment.  But  if  I  do  as  I  was  wont  to 
do,  I  shall  not  roam  the  shores  alone. 
Eve  will  roam  with  me ;  and  there 


180  THE    CLAMMER 

will  be  two  clam  hoes  in  my  shed,  and 
two  pairs  of  rubber  boots  reposing  in 
the  closet  —  when  they  are  not  in  use, 
which  is  like  to  be  seldom.  And  the 
one  pair  will  be  large  and  clumsy, 
and  well  stained  with  much  wading 
through  mud,  while  the  other  pair  will 
be  small  and  dainty — yes,  even  dainty, 
though  they  be  rubber  boots  —  and  — 
well  —  not  overmuch  stained,  though 
she  wade  even  as  I.  Rubber  boots  — 
for  clamming  —  cannot  be  kept  spot 
less,  nor  should  they  be,  if  they  could. 
But  there  will  be  but  the  one  bas 
ket,  to  serve  us  both.  I  may  be  sure 
of  this,  I  say ;  but  they  think,  for 
sooth,  that  I  will  have  done  with  such 
foolishness — now  that  I  am  married. 
Wherefore,  they  have  given  over  their 
remonstrating. 

But  I  note  that  I  am  more  popular 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      181 

than  I  was.  Some  of  them  are  always 
to  be  found  at  my  house  —  not  the 
same  ones,  but  one  or  mayhap  two 
will  come  in  of  an  evening  and  sit 
before  my  fire.  My  fire  goes  not  out, 
ever,  nor  does  it  roar ;  but  always 
there  are  coals  in  plenty,  so  that  the 
logs  blaze  gently  and  send  out  heat. 
I  love  it  so,  quiet  and  peaceful,  for 
it  makes  my  content  the  greater  —  a 
roaring  fire  makes  me  uneasy,  even 
though  I  have  confidence  in  my  chim 
ney.  And  my  content  would  be  enough 
in  any  case,  with  a  friend  sitting  on 
the  one  side,  and  my  wife  sitting  on 
the  other ;  and  I  —  but  I  sit  in  the 
deep  shadow,  to  watch  Eve  the  better. 
I  love  to  watch  her,  and  I  would  not 
be  watched;  for  thus  I  can  think  my 
thoughts  —  and  not  be  bothered  with 
knowing  that  I  am  showing  them  too 


i82  THE    CLAMMER 

plainly  in  my  face.  For  I  have  not 
been  married  long  —  not  long  enough 
to  show  my  feelings  plainly  and  not  to 
care  what  people  think. 

And  if  I  cleave  to  candles  —  as  a 
clammer  should  —  what  matter?  Five 
of  them  give  a  pretty  light,  and  a 
candle  is  long  enough  for  an  even 
ing,  even  though  it  is  winter.  A  short 
candle  is  as  good  as  a  clock  —  better, 
I  think  —  for  serving  notice  when  to 
go.  My  friends  have  learned  that,  too; 
and  when  the  candles  have  become  no 
more  than  stumps,  they  are  wont  to 
jump  up  hastily,  say  their  good-nights 
and  be  gone.  And  as  I  cover  the  fire, 
to  save  coals  for  the  morning  where 
with  to  kindle  it  afresh,  I  bethink  me 
of  my  mighty  wood-pile  out  by  my 
shed  —  it  is  mighty  even  now,  and  the 
winter  nearly  gone  —  and  I  smile  to 


OLD  GOODWIN'S  WIFE       183 

myself,  so  that  I  am  smiling  yet  as  I 
rise  from  my  task.  Eve,  seeing  that, 
smiles,  too,  although  she  knows  not 
what  she  is  smiling  at;  but  her  smile 
is  ever  ready  —  ready  and  waiting  that 
it  break  forth,  like  the  gentle  sunshine 

—  and  she  holds  her  hand  to  me.    And 
I,  having  taken  it,  blow  out  the  candles, 
and  we  mount  the  stairs  together. 

Yes,  my  friends  like  me  well 
enough,  as  I  have  some  reason  to 
suppose ;  but  my  neighbors  do  not,  as 
I  have  also  some  reason  to  suppose. 
And  if  I  have  no  great  love  for  them, 
the  reason  therefor  is  not  far  to  seek. 
For  they  ever  have  seemed  to  think 
me  one  to  be  laughed  at  and  made 
game  of,  —  they  knew  no  better,  which 
I  suppose  I  should  have  remembered, 

—  well  knowing  that  they  might  make 
their  petty  jests  with  impunity.    And 


184  THE    CLAMMER 

sometimes  I  have  wondered  whether  it 
were  not  better  to  answer  fools  accord 
ing  to  their  folly ;  but  my  witticisms 
they  would  not  comprehend,  and  I 
have  held  back  from  that,  although  the 
provocation  was  often  great  enough. 
For  they  never  let  slip  an  opportu 
nity —  and  there  were  a  plenty  —  of 
letting  me  hear  their  loud  laughter 
as  I  passed  them  by  chance ;  or  even 
making  a  jest  of  me  in  my  hearing. 
So  that  it  has  come  to  pass  that  I 
despise  them;  and  I  have  withdrawn 
my  foot  from  my  neighbor's  house, 
now  these  many  years,  for  weary  of 
ru'm  I  am  already.  But  now  I  find 
these  same  neighbors  are  well  like 
to  become  my  visitors,  which  would 
plague  me  mightily.  And  I  marveled 
at  it. 

I  was  thinking  upon  this  matter  one 


OLD    GOODWIN'S    WIFE      185 

evening,  sitting  by  my  fire.  And,  for 
a  wonder,  no  friend  was  there,  but 
Eve  sat  by  the  fire,  too,  a  book  in  her 
hand  and  her  sewing  basket  near.  For 
Eve,  not  having  been  brought  up  to 
sew,  —  save  embroidery,  if  that  be 
called  sewing,  —  has  developed,  sud 
denly,  a  great  desire  for  it,  so  that  she 
always  has  her  basket  by  her.  But 
this  evening,  whereof  I  speak,  she  was 
not  sewing,  nor  reading  either,  though 
she  had  a  book  in  her  hand ;  but  her 
hand  lay  in  her  lap  for  the  most 
part,  and  now  and  then  I  caught  her 
glancing  at  me ;  and  when  I  did  so 
catch  her,  she  smiled  at  me.  So  I 
smiled,  too,  and  at  last  I  leaned  toward 
her. 

"  Eve,"  I  said,  "  why  do  you  smile?  " 

And,  at  that,  she  did  but  smile  the 

more.    "  Why  should   it  be,   Adam," 


i86  THE    CLAMMER 

she  answered,  "  except  that  I  am 
happy  ? " 

And  she  leaned  toward  me,  too,  and 
our  heads  were  very  close,  and  it  hap 
pened  that  the  book  she  had  been 
holding  slid  from  her  lap  and  fell 
upon  the  floor;  which  should  have 
grieved  me,  for  it  was  one  of  my  fa 
vorites  and  bound  in  full  calf,  with 
hand  tooling  around  the  edges.  But 
I  scarcely  noticed  it.  I  reached  forth 
my  hand,  and  it  met  hers,  which  was 
reaching  out  for  mine ;  and  I  looked 
deep  into  her  eyes  —  eyes  swimming 
in  tenderness  —  eyes  like  —  No,  I 
will  not  say  it,  for  it  has  been  said  too 
often  —  though  there  is  some  excuse 
for  the  poets.  And  after  some  while 
I  spoke. 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  are  happy,"  I 
said ;  "  and  I  am  glad  that  there  is  no 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      187 

one  here  to-night  —  except  only  us 
two." 

And  Eve  said  nothing,  but  I  knew 
that  she  was  glad  as  well  as  I. 

"  There  are  times,"  I  continued, 
"  when  I  could  wish  that  my  friends 
were  —  less  my  friends.  It  is  pleasant 
to  have  them  —  I  am  glad  that  they 
like  to  come  —  but  they  might  give  us 
more  than  one  evening  a  week  to 
spend  together." 

Again  Eve  said  nothing,  but  again 
she  smiled ;  and,  smiling,  it  chanced 
that  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  book  that 
was  lying  where  it  had  fallen,  face 
downward,  upon  the  floor. 

"Oh,  the  poor  book!"  she  cried; 
and  stooped  to  pick  it  up.  And  I 
stooped,  too,  so  that  we  were  near 
bumping  our  heads  ;  which  somewhat 
delayed  the  rescue  of  the  book.  And, 


i88  THE    CLAMMER 

when  it  was  done,  it  befell  that  Eve's 
hair  was  a  bit  rumpled  and  she  had  a 
pretty  flush. 

"  Now,  Adam,"  said  she,  "  you  must 
tell  me  the  matter  that  bothered  you. 
For  I  know  well  enough  that  it  was 
not  your  friends." 

I  looked  at  her  in  some  amuse 
ment.  "  Why,"  I  answered,  "  that  is 
true.  I  marvel  that  you  should  have 
guessed  it,  although  my  marveling  is 
not  so  great  as  it  was,  for  women  have 
a  way  of  getting  at  the  meat  of  a  mat 
ter  without  being  at  the  trouble  of 
cracking  the  shell.  Oh,  I  am  learning. 
And  whom  should  I  tell  if  not  my 
wife  ?  " 

Eve  laughed,  a  low  laugh  and  sweet. 
"  I  am  to  be  the  sharer  of  your  sor 
rows,"  she  said,  "  hereafter.  Remem 
ber  that,  Adam.  And  now  out  with  it." 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      189 

And  I  did  out  with  it.  "  It  is  my 
neighbors  that  bother  me,"  I  said. 
"  For  I  see  plainly  that  they  are  well 
like  to  become  my  v'sitors;  and  they 
like  me  not  at  all,  nor  ever  did.  I 
know  no  reason  why  they  should  have 
had  a  change  of  heart.  Certainly  it  is 
none  of  my  doing." 

Eve  did  not  answer  this  directly, 
but  sat  looking  at  me  with  a  queer 
smile,  so  that  I  grew  restive  under  it. 

"  Adam,"  she  said,  "  do  you  believe 
that  Solomon  was  a  wise  man  ? " 

"  I  was  brought  up  in  that  belief," 
I  observed,  "  but,  notwithstanding,  I 
have  my  doubts." 

"  Oh,  you  have  your  doubts?"  she 
asked.  "  And  why  do  you  doubt  his 
wisdom  ?  " 

"  For  the  best  reason  in  the  world," 
I  answered ;  and  I  laughed  as  I  spoke. 


igo  THE    CLAMMER 

"  And  I  hold  that  I  am  wiser  than  he 

—  as  I  have  said  before.    For  he  had 
seven  hundred  wives  while  I  have  one 

—  but  that  one,  Eve  "  — 

But  Eve  had  stopped  my  mouth. 
"  Now,  Adam,"  she  said,  "  I  have 
missed  some  pretty  speech  of  yours 

—  and  I  love  your  pretty  speeches  - 
but   you  may  make   another  for  me 
when  I  am  done.    For  I  have  a  pur 
pose.    Did  you  know  that  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  said.  "  I  was  sure  that  you 
had.  You  generally  have  a  purpose  — 
which  you  invariably  accomplish.  So 
ask,  and  I  will  answer ;  and  if  my  an 
swers  are  not  what  are  expected  of  me 
it  will  be  but  my  misfortune.  My  in 
tentions  are  of  the  best." 

And,  at  that,  she  laughed.  "  Well, 
then,"  she  said,  "  was  not  Solomon  a 
wise  man  ?  " 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      igi 

"  He  had  that  reputation,"  I  replied 
meekly;  "and  I  believe  that  he  has 
it  still  —  though  it  is  a  marvel  to  me 
that  a  dead  man  can  have  anything  in 
this  world.  Yes,  I  think  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  he  was  the  wisest  man 
in  the  world." 

"  That  will  do  —  nicely,  on  the 
whole,"  said  Eve,  having  weighed  my 
answer  carefully,  "although  it  leaves 
something  to  be  desired.  Now,  —  do 
you  know  what  Solomon  said  about 
despising  your  neighbors  ?  " 

She  was  looking  down  —  and  trem 
bling  at  her  boldness,  I  made  no  doubt 
—  and  so  she  did  not  see  the  look  of 
grieved  astonishment  that  came  into 
my  face.  I  was  silent  for  some  while, 
trying  to  recall  just  what  Solomon  did 
say  about  despising  one's  neighbors. 
He  said  such  a  vast  number  of  things. 


iga  THE   CLAMMER 

And,  at  last,  Eve  looked  up,  —  and  I 
saw  that  she  had  not  been  trembling 
at  her  boldness,  for  she  was  quite  at 
her  ease,  and  smiling  at  me. 

"  Eve,"  I  said,  and  I  tried  to  be 
severe  —  but  failed  lamentably,  for  I 
smiled,  too ;  and  there  is  some  excuse 
for  me,  for  how  could  any  one,  meet 
ing  that  smile  of  hers,  remember  such 
a  purpose  ?  "  Eve,"  I  said,  "  I  did  not 
think  it  of  you,  that  you  would  thus 
put  your  own  husband  to  shame.  For 
I  do  remember,  and  would  you  imply 
that  I  am  void  of  wisdom  ?  I  have  no 
doubt  that  I,  myself,  could  write  pro 
verbs  well  enough  "  — 

But  Eve  interrupted  me.  "  Do  you 
remember,"  she  asked,  "  the  Welsh 
giant  ?  " 

Now  what  had  the  Welsh  giant  to 
do  with  it  ?  "  I  was  about  to  say,"  I 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      193 

continued,  "when  you  interrupted  me, 
that  I  had  no  doubt  that  I,  myself, 
could  write  proverbs,  —  quite  passable 
proverbs,  —  if  Solomon  had  not  cov 
ered  the  field  completely,  some  thou 
sands  of  years  ago." 

And  I  looked  at  Eve  —  but  she  was 
leaning  back  in  her  chair,  looking  at 
me  and  smiling  still ;  and  she  made 
me  no  answer.  So  I  resumed. 

"  Out  of  my  own  mouth,"  I  said, 
"  have  you  convicted  me.  But  there  is 
yet  more,  Eve.  Do  you  remember 
what  it  is  ?  " 

And,  on  a  sudden,  she  had  left  her 
chair  and  was  on  the  arm  of  mine; 
and  when  she  had  made  an  end  of 
rumpling  my  hair,  she  spoke. 

"  So  you  think,  Adam,"  she  said, 
"  that  you  have  proved  yourself  a  man 
of  understanding?  Well,  then,  per- 


194  THE    CLAMMER 

haps  you  have.  But  you  may  have 
these  same  neighbors  to  visit  with 
you,  for  I  find  much  good  in  them. 
And  now,"  she  added,  with  a  blush 
that  well  became  her,  "  I  must  sew." 

So  again  she  sat  her  in  her  chair 
and  she  took  her  basket  from  the  ta 
ble  ;  and,  with  another  glance  at  me 

—  a  glance  half  shy  and  wholly  sweet 

—  she   drew  forth,  from  some  secret 
place,  her  sewing.    And  I  sat  watch 
ing  her,  a  tender  smile  upon  my  face 

—  or    what    passed    for    that  —  Eve 
seemed   to  like   it  —  and    I    thought 
my    thoughts.    They    were    pleasant 
thoughts.    And  Eve's  sewing  —  it  was 
as  if  she  were  dressing  a  doll.    As  I 
watched  her  fingers  moving  skillfully, 
but  with  no  haste,  I  marveled  that  she 
sewed  so  well ;  and  as  I  watched  her 
face  I  marveled  yet  again.     For  her 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      195 

face  was  filled  with  love  —  a  love  that 
was  not  for  me  —  filled  with  love  and 
a  great  yearning.  And  all  that  love 
she  seemed  to  sew  into  the  little  thing 
within  her  hands.  But  ever  she  had 
more,  that  each  stitch  was  done  with 
it  and  yet  it  grew  with  every  stitch 
she  took.  And  again  Eve  glanced 
up  at  me.  I  did  but  smile  the  more, 
until  I  grinned  like  any  Cheshire 
cat. 

"  Eve,"  I  said,  "  how  do  you  know 
that  they  will  fit  "  —  I  considered,  and 
saw  nothing  else  for  it — "how  do  you 
know  that  they  will  fit  it  ?  " 

But  I  was  wrong.  "///  "  she  cried. 
"///  Adam,  I  take  shame  to  myself 
that  you  would  so  call  your  first-born. 
Him,  sir.  I  am  sure  of  it."  She  put 
her  sewing  down,  tenderly,  and  came 
to  me.  And  her  arms  were  around 


ig6  THE    CLAMMER 

my  neck  and  her  face  was  hidden  on 
my  shoulder.  "  Adam,  Adam,"  she  whis 
pered,  "  my  love  for  him  is  become  so 
big,  it  hurts.  How  can  I  bear  to  wait 
all  the  long  months  until  I  see  him — 
my  son  ?  How  can  I,  Adam  ?  " 

And  I  —  what  could  I  do  —  or  say  ? 
What  but  comfort  her  as  best  I  might  ? 
And  God  knows  I  had  the  best  will  in 
the  world  to  it,  but  the  fashion  of  it 
was  poor  enough. 

"  In  the  fullness  of  time,  Eve,"  I 
whispered.  "  In  the  fullness  of  time." 

But  she  seemed  to  take  some  com 
fort  from  my  words  —  or  mayhap  the 
intent.  So  she  lay  as  she  was,  but  in 
some  while  she  went  back  to  her  sew 
ing  again.  She  held  it  up,  for  me  to 
see ;  and  I  could  but  wonder  that  any 
piece  of  humanity  should  be  such  a 
morsel  as  to  go  into  that  garment.  I 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      197 

said  as  much.  But  Eve  only  smiled 
and  fell  to  sewing  —  her  eyes  very 
bright. 

As  Eve  sewed,  I  fell  to  musing  on 
what  she  said  about  my  neighbors. 
For  she  was  right,  as  she  was  ever, 
and  I  had  not  seen  the  good  that  was 
in  them  —  I  had  not  been  at  the  pains 
to  see  it,  though  I  knew  it  was  there ; 
and  I  had  flattered  myself  that  I  had 
held  my  peace,  and  thereby  had  proved 
me  a  man  of  understanding.  And  I 
saw  plainly — I  might  as  well  have 
stood  upon  the  corner  of  the  street 
and  cried  aloud  unto  Heaven,  giving 
thanks  that  I  was  not  as  other  men  — 
until  the  bubble  of  my  conceit  had  been 
pricked  by  Eve  —  and  how  gently ! 
And  presently  the  candles  were  burned 
low,  and  Eve,  glancing  at  them,  put 
her  sewing  by,  and  I  knew  that  the 


ig8  THE    CLAMMER 

time  was  come  for  me  to  cover  the 
fire. 

That  done,  I  took  the  hand  that 
Eve  held  out  and  I  blew  out  the  can 
dles,  and  I  was  moved  to  kiss  the  hand 
I  held. 

"  For  you  have  shown  me,  Eve,"  I 
said,  "  that  I  have  been  in  the  wrong. 
I  will  not  withhold  good  from  them 
to  whom  it  is  due.  And  I  bless  God 
for  my  wife." 

For  I  felt  very  humble.  And  what 
answer  I  got  to  that  I  shall  not  tell; 
but  it  satisfied  me,  and  we  mounted 
the  stairs  together. 

I  opened  my  window  wide.  There 
was  the  steady  drip  of  melting  snow, 
and  the  air  held  a  hint  of  spring,  but 
the  stars  were  bright.  And,  gazing 
at  them,  I  thought  upon  my  son  that 
was  to  be  —  or  haply  a  daughter,  it 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      199 

mattered  not  which  —  and  I  remem 
bered  the  time  when  I  first  knew  it. 
There  had  been  the  start  of  surprise, 
the  impulse  at  rejoicing  —  then  the 
dread  of  it  —  the  fear  for  Eve.  And 
she  had  seen  them  all.  She  hung  upon 
my  neck,  weeping  with  the  joy  of  it. 

"  Never  fear  for  me,  dear,"  she  cried, 
"  never  fear  for  me.  But  rejoice  ex 
ceedingly." 

And  so  I  did.  And  I  gazed  at  a 
faint  star  —  a  little  one,  just  showing 
to  the  naked  eye  —  and  as  I  gazed, 
I  thought  that  I  saw  the  eyes  of  my 
son  looking  at  me  with  an  infinite 
knowledge  and  compassion  —  and  an 
infinite  love.  And  as  I  gazed,  behold, 
the  eyes  were  the  eyes  of  Eve.  And 
if  my  son  shall  have  the  spirit  that  his 
mother  has  I  shall  be  well  content. 
So  thinking,  I  turned  from  the  win- 


200  THE    CLAMMER 

dow  and  got  me  into  bed  ;  and  having 
drawn  the  covers  close,  I  slept 

One  may  guess  that  my  friends  did 
not  desert  me  —  so  long  as  Eve  was 
there ;  and  she  was  like  to  be  there 
long.  For  if  it  had  not  been  well  with 
Eve,  this  story  had  never  been  written. 
There  is  grief  enough  in  the  world 
without  my  adding  to  the  sum  of  it  — 
and  I  doubt  much  if  I  should  have 
the  heart  to  write  it  down.  So  I  kept 
my  friends,  and  they  came  as  they  had 
been  wont  and  sat  them  by  my  fire ; 
but  I  noted  that  they  sat  not  still, 
but  they  were  apt  to  rise  and  stroll 
about  the  room,  and  then  they  sat  only 
to  rise  again.  For  the  season  got  on 
towards  spring ;  and  spring  ever  breeds 
a  restless  fire  in  the  bones  of  man  that 
grows  and  glows  until  he  can  get  him 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      201 

out-of-doors  again.  Then  he  finds  that 
peace  that  seemed  like  to  escape  him. 
I  doubted  if  my  friends  knew  what 
ailed  them  —  even  knew  that  they 
were  restless ;  but  I  knew  well.  And 
I  advised  with  them  and  counseled 
that  they  turn  their  thoughts  to  gar 
dening —  and  their  restless  bodies,  too. 
For  a  man  must  needs  do  his  digging 
for  himself.  What  is  a  hired  gardener 
but  an  abomination  ?  Let  a  man  dig, 
if  he  would  find  peace.  It  has  taken 
refuge  in  the  earth;  and  he  that  seeks 
shall  find  it. 

So  I  watched  the  snow  melt  on  my 
garden  and  the  ground  soften;  and  it 
was  come  to  the  first  week  in  April. 
But  the  ground  was  too  wet  for  work 
ing  —  I  tried  it,  every  day,  with  my 
hoe,  and  the  earth  clung  to  the  hoe ; 
for  it  was  but  mud,  and  the  frost  went 


202  THE    CLAMMER 

deep.  But  at  last  came  a  day  when  the 
earth  clung  no  longer,  but  came  away 
and  left  the  hoe  clean.  And  I  knew 
that  the  spring  had  come.  And,  having 
made  the  test,  I  hurried  to  the  house. 

"  Eve,"  I  shouted  —  I  must  needs 
shout,  with  the  spring  rioting  in  my 
veins.  "  Eve,  the  spring  is  here ! " 

And  Eve  laughed  —  and  came  out  a 
door  at  my  elbow.  "  Why  do  you  shout 
it  so,  Adam  ?  Have  I  not  known  it  this 
last  month  ?  For  the  song  sparrows 
came  long  since,  and  the  bluebirds, 
and  it  is  weeks  since  I  saw  the  first 
robin.  And  now  the  birds  are  coming 
fast.  Why  shout  it?  As  well  come  in 
and  shout  that  the  sun  is  shining." 

"  Truly  that  would  be  well  done, 
too,"  I  answered,  "for  the  sun  shines  as 
it  has  not  shone  these  many  months. 
And  a  song  sparrow  does  not  make 


OLD  GOODWIN'S    WIFE      203 

a  spring,  —  he  comes  while  it  is  yet 
winter,  and  so  do  the  bluebirds.  And  I 
must  dig,  Eve,  or  I  shall  burst"  And, 
with  that,  I  seized  her  about  the  waist 
and  whirled  her  until  we  both  were 
dizzy ;  and,  with  a  kiss,  I  released  her, 
and  she  leaned  against  the  door, 
laughing  again. 

There  she  leaned  until  she  had  got 
back  her  breath.  "  I  suppose  you  will 
have  me  to  see  your  digging,"  she  said 
then,  "and  there  is  no  help  for  it." 
But  she  smiled  as  she  spoke,  that  I 
knew  she  was  minded  to  it  as  wrell  as 
I.  "  Well,  then,  I  will  get  my  things  on, 
and  come." 

So  I  had  what  I  wanted,  and  I  be 
took  me  to  my  digging.  And  soon 
came  Eve,  in  her  coat ;  for  she  did  no 
digging,  and  the  air  held  some  faint 
chill,  though  the  sun  shone  warm. 


204  THE    CLAMMER 

And,  with  our  digging  and  our  plan 
ning,  we  were  busy  for  some  while ; 
but  at  last  I  straightened  up,  and  there 
was  Judson,  leaning  upon  his  fence 
and  watching  us. 

Now  Judson  lives  next  me,  on  the 
side  where  lies  my  garden,  so  that  he 
may  have  a  good  view  of  it  whenever 
he  will ;  but  never  before  have  I  found 
him  watching  me.  And  although  he 
and  I  have  been  next  door  neighbors 
these  many  years,  never  have  I  ex 
changed  a  dozen  words  with  him.  Not 
that  I  had  any  fault  to  find  with  him 
-  he  is  an  old  man  now,  spending 
long  days  in  his  garden,  grubbing  the 
weeds  or  pottering  about  —  it  is  a 
brave  weed  that  will  sprout  in  his  gar 
den,  but  he  can  always  hoe  and  dig 
-  not  that  I  could  find  any  fault  with 
Judson,  but  I  classed  him  with  those 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      205 

others,  with  whom  I  held  no  com 
munion  ;  and,  after  all,  they,  too  — 
well,  —  I  doubt  if  I  care  to  learn  their 
opinion  of  me.  For  Judson  was  born 
where  he  lives  —  and  the  others,  like 
wise,  for  the  most  part — while  I  have 
held  my  land  a  scant  ten  years ;  and 
he  has  held  his  peace,  though  he  might 
well  think  me  but  an  interloper.  He 
has  more  wisdom  than  I,  and  it  grows 
with  his  years.  And  again  I  was  glad  of 
my  wife,  that  she  had  opened  my  eyes. 
And,  thinking  such  thoughts  as  these, 
I  hailed  him  standing  there. 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Judson,"  I 
called  to  him.  "  It  is  a  fine  spring 
morning." 

He  did  but  smile  and  wave  his  hand 
for  greeting.  And  I  heard  Eve's  voice 
beside  me.  "  Adam,"  she  said,  and  in 
her  voice  was  wonder  at  what  she  had 


206  THE   CLAMMER 

noted,  "  Mr.  Judson  is  very  deaf.  Did 
you  not  know  it  ?  " 

I  took  shame  to  myself  that  I  did  not 
know  it  —  much  shame  ;  for  here  was 
I  that  had  been  his  neighbor  so  long, 
and  the  thing  about  him  that  was  most 
obvious  I  had  not  observed.  I  marveled 
somewhat  that  Eve  should  know  it. 

"  Eve,"  I  answered,  "  I  am  ashamed. 
Come,  let  us  talk  with  him." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  she  said  ;  "  for 
he  is  a  good  man,  Adam,  and  a  wise, 
and  —  and  "  — 

I  laughed.  "  And  it  will  do  me  good," 
I  finished  for  her.  "  Why  hesitate,  Eve? 
For  you  are  beyond  me  in  wisdom,  and 
so  is  Judson,  I  do  not  doubt.  Why 
hesitate  ? " 

And  she,  uncertain  whether  to  laugh 
or  not,  looked  up  at  me  to  see.  For 
my  conversion  was  but  recent,  and  I 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      207 

was  yet  somewhat  sore  with  it.  But, 
having  looked  at  me,  she  smiled  and 
slipped  her  hand  within  my  arm  — 
which  soothed  my  ruffled  temper  to 
a  marvel,  and  I  smiled  down  at  her. 
And  so  we  were  come  to  the  wall  — 
the  fence  was  a  stone  fence — where 
stood  Judson,  smiling,  too. 

Once  there,  we  talked  long  of  things 
appropriate  to  the  season ;  of  what  to 
plant,  and  when,  and  peas  and  beans 
and  what  not ;  and  he  wondered  that 
I  had  no  rhubarb  and  no  asparagus  — 
grass,  he  called  it.  So  I  asked  him 
over  the  wall  —  for  the  first  time  in 
ten  years  —  and  he  came,  most  will 
ing;  and  we  wandered  about  my  gar 
den,  discussing,  and  finally  we  sat  us 
down  on  a  bench,  that  was  before  my 
shed,  in  the  sun.  Then  Eve,  noting 
the  pipe  that  he  held  in  his  worn  fin- 


2o8  THE    CLAMMER 

gers,  bade  him  fill  and  light  it.  Which 
he  did,  with  some  apology,  but  to  his 
great  content.  And  there  we  sat,  bask 
ing,  until,  at  last,  Judson  arose,  excus 
ing  himself  for  staying  so  long.  Eve 
asked  him  to  come  again,  often. 

"And,"  she  said,  "I  would  like  it 
much  if  I  might  run  in  to  see  Mrs. 
Judson." 

The  old  man  was  pleased  at  that. 
"  So  do,"  he  said  ;  "  so  do.  She  '11  be 
glad  to  see  ye." 

And  we  watched  his  bent  figure 
crossing  the  garden ;  and,  having  got 
over  the  wall  again,  and  on  his  own 
side,  he  paused  a  moment  to  wave  his 
hand  and  to  smile  at  us  as  we  still  sat. 
I  felt  a  glow  at  my  heart  that  warmed 
it  mightily,  even  as  the  sun  warmed 
my  body.  It  was  worth  while  being 
friends  with  Judson  —  and  that  I  might 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      209 

have  been  ten  years  ago  had  I  but 
known.  But  a  fool  in  his  folly — 

"Eve,"  I  said,  "again  I  have  to  thank 
you.  But  you  should  have  appeared  to 
me  ten  years  ago.  Where  were  you, 
Eve  ?  " 

"  I  was  but  a  child,  Adam,"  she  re 
plied,  "  or  scarcely  more."  And  as  she 
spoke  she  smiled  at  me  and  sat  closer; 
for  she  well  knew  that  I  was  sore  hurt 
in  my  self-esteem.  She  well  knew,  too, 
how  to  heal  the  hurt  so  that  it  leave 
but  a  scar — for  she  would  not  have 
me  forget  again. 

And  presently  she  drew  a  letter 
from  the  pocket  of  her  coat.  "  See," 
she  said.  "  I  have  a  letter  from  my 
father.  They  will  come  down  soon  — 
in  two  weeks.  It  is  a  full  month  be 
fore  their  time." 

I  drew  the  letter  forth.    It  was  char- 


2io  THE    CLAMMER 

acteristic  of  Old  Goodwin  —  only  two 
lines,  in  his  rapid  writing,  telling  of 
their  coming,  and  sending  love  to  her 
and  Adam.  Eve  had  had  a  letter  like 
this  one  —  about  as  long — twice  a 
month ;  he  had  no  time  for  writing 
more.  I  had  seen  them  all ;  and  I  had 
noted  what  was  missing  —  missing 
from  them  all. 

"  No  word  from  your  mother,  Eve  ? " 
She  glanced  up  at  me.  "  Not  yet," 
she  said.  "  But  I  have  no  fear,  Adam. 
She  is  proud  and  she  is  stubborn  — 
but  they  come  a  month  early.  No,  I 
have  no  fear." 

And  I  looked  out  to  my  pine,  where 
the  hole  was  scooped  in  the  ground 
and  the  seat  was  builded  against  the 
tree.  The  hole  was  filled  full  with 
dried  leaves  and  other  rubbish,  and 
the  seat  needed  some  repairing. 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      211 

"  It  behooves  me  to  see  to  my  oven," 
I  said,  "  for  as  it  seems  to  me,  we  are 
like  to  have  a  clambake  soon.  And  I 
have  a  mind  to  ask  Judson  — and  his 
wife."  Eve  beamed  at  me  for  that. 
"  And  I  may  have  to  get  some  new 
stones." 

Eve  slipped  her  hand  within  my 
arm.  "  Do  the  stones  grow  cold, 
Adam  ?  "  she  asked,  softly. 

And  that  made  me  to  remember.  I 
stooped  and  kissed  her.  "  Truly,"  I 
answered,  "  the  stones  have  been  pass 
ing  cold  and  now  they  grow  warm 
again.  But  it  does  not  matter  about 
the  stones,  for  we  have  kept  the  fire 
warm  upon  the  hearth  —  and  in  our 
hearts,  Eve.  And  it  behooves  me  to 
look  at  my  clam  beds,  too.  We  may 
watch  the  sunset  if  you  will  —  watch 
it  from  the  bank." 


212  THE   CLAMMER 

She  rejoiced  at  that.  "  With  all  my 
heart,  Adam." 

So  it  befell  that  we  wended,  that 
afternoon,  over  to  our  clam  beds,  along 
the  shore  where  the  water  lapped  ever. 
And,  as  it  chanced,  the  tide  was  low 
and  would  yet  be  lower ;  for  it  was  a 
spring  tide.  And  we  walked  hand  in 
hand  —  for  there  was  nobody  about  — 
and  what  if  there  were  ?  Shall  a  man 
not  hold  his  -wife's  hand,  in  going 
along  the  shore  ?  And  shall  he  not 
kiss  her  if  he  will  —  and  if  she  will  ? 
Though  in  such  matters  we  should, 
no  doubt,  bow  to  convention.  And,  as 
we  went,  the  Great  Painter  spread  his 
colors  as  he  was  wont  to  do,  and  the 
still  waters  were  covered  with  all  man 
ner  of  reds  and  purples.  We  saw  our 
flats  just  awash  and  now  and  then 
there  broke  upon  them  a  wave  that 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      213 

ran  across  in  ripples  of  color,  and  left 
the  wet  sand  shining  in  a  coat  of  shim 
mering  green.  For,  though  the  water 
was  calm,  the  waves  yet  broke  upon 
the  sands.  It  was  a  day  of  promise 
now  well  nigh  come  to  an  end  but  yet 
it  held  a  promise  of  other  days.  And 
such  a  day  maketh  the  soul  of  a  man 
to  rejoice  —  if  he  be  in  truth  a  man, 
and  not  a  mere  beast  of  burden  —  it 
maketh  the  soul  of  him  to  rejoice 
within  him  and  his  heart  to  sing ;  and 
of  such  as  rejoice  not  in  such  a  day, 
there  is  little  hope. 

And  Eve  and  I  came  to  the  bank, 
where  the  pebbles  shone  in  the  sun  — 
save  some  few  that  had  been  washed 
out  in  the  storms  of  winter.  Eve  cried 
out  at  that,  and  set  herself  to  find 
others,  that  she  make  the  names  whole 
again.  And  I  looked  up  at  our  path, 


214  THE    CLAMMER 

that  still  showed  bravely  —  with  little 
piles  of  snow  in  the  deeply  shaded 
spots,  the  remnants  of  great  drifts  — 
but  they  were  going  fast.  And  the 
grass  showed  green  on  the  slope  — 
the  tender  green  of  spring.  Seeing 
all  this,  I  sighed  and  turned  me  from 
it  to  our  clam  beds. 

They  were  well  uncovered  by  this, 
and  I  took  my  hoe  and  pottered  about 
and  slopped  here  and  there,  digging 
where  I  would.  And  now  and  again  I 
made  me  straight  —  for  some  months 
past  I  had  not  bent  my  back  so  stead 
ily  —  and  gazed  at  the  changing  colors 
or  at  the  old  sun,  which  was  drawing 
near  to  the  western  hills ;  then  I  bent 
my  back  again.  And  the  clams  that  I 
found  I  did  but  restore  with  care,  to 
bury  themselves  once  more  —  we  had 
no  basket,  not  wanting  clams  as  yet  - 


OLD    GOODWIN'S    WIFE      215 

and  I  found  many.  They  seemed  good 
thriving  clams,  big  and  lusty,  and  none 
the  worse  for  the  winter. 

At  last  I  was  done  with  my  digging 
and  I  straightened  up  and  looked  for 
Eve ;  and  there  she  was,  beyond  me, 
in  the  water,  with  her  skirts  tucked 
up,  and  she  was  paddling  like  any 
schoolgirl.  And  the  sun  shone  through 
the  wisps  of  hair — they  straggled, 
ever,  those  wisps,  and  sadly  bothered 
her  with  their  wanderings  —  the  sun 
shone  through  the  wandering  locks 
and  made  an  aureole  about  her  head. 
But  now  she  minded  them  not.  And 
so  I  gazed  long  at  her,  and  I  saw  the 
colors  that  she  stirred  with  her  pad 
dling,  and  I  saw  her  standing  in  their 
midst.  At  last  she  looked  up  at  me. 

"  Oh,  Adam,"  she  cried,  "  I  am  hav 
ing  such  a  beautiful  time.  Stop  your 


216  THE    CLAMMER 

digging  and  come  out  here  with  me 
—  and  paddle.  It  is  great  fun.  See,  I 
can  almost  catch  that  streak  of  gold ! 
Oh,  now  it  is  gone." 

"  Truly,  Eve,"  I  said,  "  I  am  amazed 
at  you.  But  I  will  come  —  and  pad 
dle  —  although  that  is  what  I  never 
thought  that  I  should  come  to;  for  I 
am  done  with  my  digging.  And  soon 
we  must  go  in,  for  the  sun  is  almost 
set.  It  is  not  yet  summer." 

Then  Eve  laughed,  and  I  went  and 
stood  beside  her,  and  we  paddled  nobly 
-until  I  was  laughing,  too.  And  the 
sun  set  —  he  had  already  passed  the 
tree  that  was  like  a  spire  —  I  saw  it 
for  a  moment  against  his  southern  edge 
as  he  coasted  down  the  slope — and 
we  bade  him  good-night  together,  as 
we  had  been  wont  to  do.  Eve  turned 
to  me. 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      217 

"  I  am  cold,  Adam,"  she  said.  "  I 
confess  it." 

Indeed,  that  water  was  passing  cold, 
for  there  were  in  it  all  the  melting 
snows  of  winter.  And  so  we  raced 
along  the  shore  in  our  rubber  boots 
-  Eve's  are  less  of  a  burden  than 
mine,  so  that  I  was  beaten  in  the  race 
—  and  climbed  the  steep  path  ;  and  in 
the  house  our  fire  burned  upon  the 
hearth. 

As  I  sat  there  before  the  fire,  mus 
ing  upon  many  things  —  with  my  back 
feeling  tired  and  comfortable  among 
the  cushions —  I  heard  a  robin  calling 
sleepily  from  my  pine.  It  sent  a  glow 
through  me.  Verily,  Spring  is  here. 

So  the  season  grew  and  filled  me 
with  joy.  And  as  evening  came,  I  sat 
before  my  fire,  but  I  withdrew  some- 


2i8  THE    CLAMMER 

what  from  its  heat ;  and  I  had  no  in 
terest  in  the  book  that  I  took  up,  but 
I  must  needs  lay  it  down  in  my  lap. 
For,  first,  I  found  myself  reading  but 
words  and  getting  no  sense  from  them, 
that  I  knew  not  whether  I  had  read  a 
passage  or  no.  And  I  would  struggle 
awake  and  read  a  line,  or  mayhap  two, 
and  make  sense  of  it;  and  then  I  read 
the  same  line  again,  as  like  as  not,  and 
knew  not  where  I  was  nor  what  my 
author  would  be  at.  Then  I  would  let 
the  book  fall  into  my  lap  and  care  not 
for  my  author  nor  for  aught  else,  and 
suck  at  my  pipe  —  it  was  as  like  to  be 
out  as  burning  —  and  doze  and  dream. 
And  Eve  would  glance  at  me  and 
smile  and  go  on  with  the  making  of 
doll's  clothes.  For  I  had  been  out  all 
day  in  my  garden — with  Judson  giv 
ing  me  counsel,  if  I  asked  it  —  never, 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      219 

if  I  did  not ;  and  it  was  borne  in  upon 
me  that  he  that  withholdeth  advice,  if 
it  be  unasked,  is  a  wise  man  —  I  had 
been  all  day  in  the  garden,  hoeing 
and  digging  and  planting.  When  Jud- 
son  did  his  planting  was  a  mystery  — 
probably  about  daylight;  but  he  had 
got  in  the  way  of  coming  over  the 
wall,  and  I  would  no  sooner  be  at 
work  than  there  would  appear  Judson 
at  the  wall,  waving  his  hand  in  greet 
ing.  I  think  I  shall  make  a  gate  there 
if  he  does  not  object.  It  is  hard  for  an 
old  man  to  climb  walls. 

And  I  wondered  at  the  apparent  de 
fection  of  my  friends ;  for  they  came 
seldom,  so  that  Eve  made  some  pro 
gress  with  her  doll's  wardrobe.  I  won 
dered,  I  say,  until  I  reflected  upon  the 
advice  I  had  given  them,  myself.  No 
doubt  they  were  busy  as  well  as  I ;  and 


220  THE    CLAMMER 

if  they  made  gardens  they  went  to  bed 
early. 

So  it  was  come  to  be  the  first  of 
May  and  all  my  planting  was  done  ex 
cept  my  corn.  The  birds  had  become 
noisy  —  they  sang  as  though  they 
would  split  their  throats ;  and,  as  I 
planted,  I  heard  the  shrill  whistle  of 
the  meadow-larks  —  but  I  could  not 
stop  to  enjoy  it.  Only  at  evening  I 
sat  me  on  my  seat  under  the  great 
pine,  with  Eve  beside  me,  and  drank 
my  fill  of  music.  And  the  leaves  were 
coming  out  upon  the  trees. 

I  marveled  somewhat  that  Eve  had 
had  no  word  more  from  her  father; 
but  I  must  plant  my  corn.  And  my 
first  planting  of  corn  was  done ;  and 
as  I  straightened  up  from  it,  sighing 
with  weariness,  I  heard  a  low  chuckling 
laugh.  I  turned  quickly,  and  behold, 


OLD    GOODWIN'S    WIFE      221 

there  was  Old  Goodwin  watching  me ; 
and  beside  him  Eve.  He  was  still 
laughing. 

I  hurried  across  my  garden,  the 
earth  sticking  to  my  boots  ;  and  made 
some  apologies  for  my  hands.  The 
hands  of  a  delver  in  the  earth  are  not 
fit  for  contact  with  the  Rich. 

But  what  did  Old  Goodwin  care  for 
that  ?  "  It  is  clean  dirt,  Adam,"  said 
he,  "and  honest.  The  hands  that  I 
have  to  take  every  day,  they  are  — 
well  —  it  turns  me  nearly  sick  at  times, 
to  take  them  —  though  they  are  white 
enough,  and  soft."  He  looked  out  over 
my  garden,  that  showed  already  un 
broken  rows  of  green,  where  the  early 
peas  had  come  through  the  earth.  "  So 
your  planting  is  all  done  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  I  am  sorry,  for  I  had  hoped  to  have 
a  hand  in  it." 


222  THE    CLAMMER 

"  And  so  you  may,"  I  answered,  "  if 
you  will.  There  are  yet  some  plant 
ings  of  corn  to  be  put  in  —  but  nothing 
for  two  weeks."  I  hesitated,  and  blun 
dered  on.  "  And  Mrs.  Goodwin  —  she 
is  well  ? " 

"  Quite  well,"  he  said,  and  smiled  as 
he  spoke  —  and  so  did  Eve.  "  Yes,  she 
is  quite  well.  She  came  down  too.  You 
may  get  a  glimpse  of  her  now  and  then, 
I  think,  about  the  grounds,  for  she  is 
restless  this  spring,  and  out  more  than 
she  has  been  used  to  be.  No  doubt," 
he  added,  "  it  is  the  weather." 

"  No  doubt,"  I  said ;  but  I  knew  not 
how  to  take  it,  and  I  glanced  at  Eve  to 
see.  "Yes,  no  doubt  it  is  the  weather." 

Then  I  went  in,  for  I  would  change 
my  boots.  And  Old  Goodwin  wan 
dered,  that  meanwhile,  about  my  place 
with  Eve  beside  him.  When  I  came 


OLD    GOODWIN'S   WIFE      223 

again  I  found  him  on  the  seat  under 
the  pine;  and  he  was  gazing  at  the 
stones,  and  then  off  over  my  clam 
beds,  where  the  water  danced  in  the 
sun  and  the  little  waves  broke  upon 
the  sands.  But  Eve  was  not  there.  I 
marveled  somewhat  at  it. 

"  She  is  gone  to  see  her  mother," 
he  said,  answering  the  thought  un 
spoken.  "  She  will  be  back  presently. 
And  how  are  the  clams,  Adam  ?  " 

I  laughed,  it  was  so  exactly  what  I 
expected  of  him.  "  Pretty  well,  I  thank 
you,"  I  replied ;  "  or  they  were,  two 
weeks  ago.  I  have  not  seen  them 
lately,  for  I  have  been  busy.  You  may 
dig  whenever  you  will.  They  thrive,  I 
think." 

He  smiled  again — his  thanks.  "And 
the  stones  —  you  have  put  some  fresh 
ones  in,  I  see  —  they  are  all  ready  ?  " 


224  THE   CLAMMER 

"  They  are  all  ready,"  I  answered, 
"  and  the  weed  lies  in  heaps  along  the 
shore.  But  I  find  that  my  appetite  for 
baked  clams  is  not  yet  ripe  "  — 

But  he  interrupted.  "Ah,  Adam," 
he  said,  "  but  you  have  this  with  you 
all  the  year."  He  waved  his  hand  about. 
"That  is  much  to  be  thankful  for.  But 
I  —  the  memory  of  those  baked  clams 
is  all  that  has  carried  me  over  many  a 
hard  place.  For  I  realize  —  sometimes 

—  that  I  am  an  old  man ;  but  when  I 
am  here  "  — 

"  You  are  not,"  I  finished  for  him. 
"  And  that  is  reason  enough  for  stay 
ing.  You  have  a  roof  over  your  head 

—  such  as  it  is  —  and  a  crust  of  bread 

—  with   a  chop   or   two    when    there 
is  need.    No  man,  however  poor,  can 
ask  more  —  and  no  man,  however  rich, 
can  get  more.    So  I  foretell  "  — 


OLD    GOODWIN'S    WIFE      225 

Old  Goodwin  was  roaring  with 
laughter.  "  Yes,"  he  said,  as  soon  as 
he  could  speak,  "  I  have  a  roof  over 
my  head  —  such  as  it  is  —  and  the 
tiles  upon  it  may  last  through  a  win 
ter;  and  I  shall  have  —  no  doubt  —  a 
crust  of  bread  —  with  a  chop  or  two 
when  there  is  need.  And  so  you  would 
have  me  give  up  my  house  in  town. 
Well,  well,  there  is  something  to  be 
said  for  it.  We  shall  see.  We  shall 
see." 

"  Your  house  in  town  would  be  but 
a  burden,"  I  said  then.  "No  man  can 
live  in  two  houses — two  at  once  — 
having  but  one  body.  And  you  might 
well  give  up  —  it  is  time  to  retire, 
having  enough  of  means.  And  these 
fields  and  this  water  and  the  woods 
are  a  never-ending  delight.  You  need 
not  fear  your  nerves.  For  look  at  me. 


226  THE    CLAMMER 

Am  I  nervous?  And  I  have  retired 
—  retired  these  many  years — retired 
before  my  career  was  well  begun.  I 
find  amusement  —  and  I  am  like  to 
live  long.  And  you  should  know  Jud- 
son  —  you  must  know  him.  He  has 
lived  long  and  will  yet  live  some  while. 
He  should  have  been  here  this  morn- 

ing." 

Old  Goodwin  looked  at  me,  ques 
tioning.  "  Your  neighbor  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  I  should  like  it  much.  But  I  thought 
you  did  not  care  for  neighbors, 
Adam." 

I  was  ashamed.  "  I  did  not,"  I  an 
swered,  "but  Eve  has  shown  me — -I 
was  wrong."  Old  Goodwin  smiled  at 
that,  his  quiet  smile  of  peace.  And  I 
went  on.  "  But  you  "  — 

"  I  will  consider,"  he  said ;  and  I 
remembered  me  of  a  time  when  Eve 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      227 

had  said  those  very  words.  But  she 
said  more.  There  was  "good  fisher 
man  "  if  I  remembered  me  aright. 
"  I  will  consider  the  matter,"  said  Old 
Goodwin.  "  And  I  must  consult " 

"Ah!"  I  cried,  "I  had  forgot." 
And  I  smiled,  more  broadly  than  I 
meant  to ;  but  it  mattered  not,  for  Old 
Goodwin  was  smiling  too. 

"  There  comes  Eve,"  he  said.  And 
indeed,  I  knew  it  well.  Was  I  not  look 
ing  for  her  every  minute  that  she  was 
gone  from  me  ? 

And  that  evening  we  sat  before  my 
fire,  as  we  were  wont  to  do,  Eve  and  I ; 
but  beside  us  sat  Old  Goodwin.  It  oc 
curred  to  me  to  think  that  Mrs.  Good 
win  was  likely  to  be  lonely  —  if  she 
depended  at  all  upon  her  husband  for 
company  —  and  if  he  continued  as  he 
had  begun.  If  it  were  Eve  and  I, 


228  THE    CLAMMER 

there  would  be  a  compromise  —  or  a 
surrender — in  short  order.  But,  I  re 
flected,  all  married  people  are  not  as 
Eve  and  I ;  and  we  have  been  mar 
ried  but  a  few  months  —  although  it 
will  be  the  same  when  the  months  are 
become  years,  I  do  believe.  And  Eve 
and  her  mother  are  two  very  differ 
ent  persons.  So,  as  we  sat,  Eve  sewed 
upon  her  doll's  dresses,  unabashed ; 
and  Old  Goodwin,  if  he  noted  it,  and 
saw  upon  what  her  fingers  were  busy, 
gave  no  sign  of  his  surprise  —  it  is  not 
easy  to  surprise  him  —  but  he  seemed 
to  find  pleasure  in  the  sight.  And, 
indeed,  it  was  a  pleasant  sight  to  see 
Eve  sewing  there -- pleasant  for  a 
prospective  father  and  for  a  prospec 
tive  grandfather  it  was  as  pleasant,  as 
I  judged.  I  doubt  me  much  that  Mrs. 
Goodwin  sewed,  ever,  of  an  evening; 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      229 

or  ever  had  sewed,  even  when  sewing 
was  to  be  done  for  Eve's  coming.  The 
clothes  that  she  had  made  for  her 
baby  were  of  the  finest  and  the  softest 
and  the  richest  no  doubt  —  but  she 
had  them  made ;  and  can  even  the 
finest  and  the  softest  and  the  richest, 
made  by  the  hand  of  another,  mean 
as  much  as  these,  with  love  sewed 
under  every  stitch  of  them  ?  I  do  not 
think  so.  And  the  one  thing  she  could 
not  evade  if  she  would; —  but  she  had 
but  the  one  child,  and  I  think  that 
was  a  sorrow  to  Old  Goodwin.  So 
we  sat,  and  talked  little  or  not  at  all ; 
and  the  candles  burned  low,  that  they 
were  but  stumps.  Noting  that,  Old 
Goodwin  took  his  leave.  And  the 
evening  and  the  morning  were  the 
first  day. 

Then    followed    other   days ;    and, 


230  THE    CLAMMER 

first  of  all,  Old  Goodwin  must  betake 
him  to  the  digging  of  clams  and  I 
must  help  him  at  it.  And,  having 
digged  many  clams,  we  must  needs 
have  a  clambake,  for  I  would  not  de 
stroy  good  clams  to  no  purpose;  but 
it  was  a  sorry  clambake,  lacking  the 
corn  and  the  sweet  potatoes  and  the 
lobster.  And,  though  I  sacrificed  a 
chicken  to  it,  the  sacrifice  went  to 
my  heart,  for  early  in  May  is  no  time 
to  kill  chickens.  I  asked  Judson  to 
our  clambake,  and  though  he  came, 
his  appetite  for  clams  was  no  more 
ripe  than  mine.  But  Judson  and  Old 
Goodwin  met  and  enjoyed  the  meeting 
mightily;  and  sat  upon  their  boxes 
and  talked  until  I  thought  they  would 
never  have  done.  So  Eve  and  I  left 
them  there,  sitting  upon  their  boxes. 
And  presently  they  rose  and  wan- 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      231 

dered  over  into  Judson's  place  and  I 
saw  Old  Goodwin  no  more  that  day. 

And,  again,  we  went  to  the  woods, 
and  saw  them  breaking  forth  into  leaf. 
For  the  leafing  of  the  woods  is  a  little 
later  than  the  leafing  of  a  tree  which 
grows  in  the  open.  And  I  saw  the 
seed  pods  lifting  on  their  dry  stems, 
but  they  were  few  and  the  pods  were 
empty ;  for  the  stems  were  brittle,  that 
the  weight  of  snow  had  broken  them 
down,  for  the  most  part,  and  the  birds 
had  gleaned  the  seeds.  But  the  dead 
leaves  were  fading  into  mould,  out  of 
which  peeped  a  seedling,  here  and 
there;  and  the  rotting  logs  were  fast 
being  covered  with  a  coat  of  green  — 
moss  and  the  creeping  vines  were  do 
ing  that.  And  I  saw  the  birches,  their 
tiny  leaves  like  so  many  little  green 
spangles  —  or  so  they  looked  until  I 


232  THE    CLAMMER 

came  near.  And  the  pines,  too,  had 
burst  the  buds,  that  every  tip  was  a 
lighter  green,  with  clusters  of  little 
needles  that,  here  and  there,  still  bore 
their  caps  of  brown ;  but  the  oak  buds 
were  just  bursting. 

I  spoke  to  Old  Goodwin.  "  There 
is  much  for  a  man  to  see  here,"  said  I, 
"when  he  is  retired  —  even  in  win 
ter." 

He  laughed  and  made  me  no  reply. 

And,  yet  again,  there  grow  before 
my  house  —  but  within  my  hedge  — 
two  hawthorn  trees.  They  are  very 
mountains  of  trees,  for  hawthorns,  and 
their  tops  are  above  the  eaves  of  my 
house.  I  would  not  miss  the  time  of 
blossoming  of  those  two  trees  for 
aught ;  and  one  of  them  has  white 
blossoms  and  the  other  has  pink.  And 
the  time  came  for  them  to  blossom, 


OLD    GOODWIN'S    WIFE      233 

and  so  they  did,  for  they  are  well  be 
haved  trees  as  any  could  wish ;  and 
on  the  one  side  of  my  front  walk  was 
a  mass  of  white  blossoms,  and  on  the 
other  side  a  mass  of  pink.  Solid  banks 
of  blossoms  they  were,  with  a  green 
leaf  showing  through  here  and  there, 
even  to  the  tips  of  the  trees.  I  found 
Old  Goodwin  viewing  them  from  the 
road.  And  it  was  come  to  be  the  last 
week  in  May.  And,  though  I  found 
him  gazing  at  my  trees — I  have  a 
pride  in  them,  which  may  be  par 
doned  —  I  said  not  much. 

"  There  is  much  for  a  man  to  see, 
here  and  there,"  I  said,  "  when  he  is 
retired." 

And  once  more  he  laughed,  but 
he  made  me  a  reply  to  this.  "  True 
enough,  Adam,"  he  answered,  "  true 
enough.  There  is  enough  for  a  man 


234  THE    CLAMMER 

to  see  —  and  I  think  there  is  enough 
for  him  to  do." 

So  June  was  come.  It  was  in  June 
that  my  appetite  for  clams  was  become 
ripe  ;  and  we  digged  in  my  clam  beds 
more  than  ever,  and  put  some  heart 
into  the  digging.  It  was  Old  Good 
win  and  I  that  did  the  digging,  for  the 
most  part  —  he  loved  it  —  while  Eve 
sat  on  the  bank  and  watched  us.  Some 
times  she  would  dig,  but  more  often 
she  did  but  watch,  cheering  us,  the 
while,  with  observations ;  and,  now 
and  then,  I  would  go  and  sit  beside 
her  and  leave  Old  Goodwin.  But  he 
did  not  mind  —  did  not  appear  to 
notice.  Every  evening,  after  supper, 
we  came,  Eve  and  I,  to  the  bank.  And 
Old  Goodwin  joined  us  there  and  we 
stayed  until  the  sun  was  set  and  we 
had  said  our  good-nights  to  him.  And 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      235 

it  befell,  on  an  evening  that  was  thick 
with  fog  —  it  is  apt  to  be  a  thick  fog 
toward  the  last  of  June  —  out  at  sea 
the  fog  lies  all  day,  rolling  in  over  the 
land  by  the  end  of  the  afternoon  —  it 
befell,  on  this  evening,  that  I  had  been 
watching  the  fog.  It  sent  its  skir 
mishers  ahead  and  covered  the  shore, 
only  to  uncover  it;  for  the  skirmisher 
must  move  fast  —  and  it  is  not  large, 
being  but  a  skirmisher.  And  then 
would  come  another  and  hide  another 
piece  of  shore  —  haply  my  point  with 
the  pine  upon  it ;  and  I  could  see  the 
top  of  the  pine  sticking  up  out  of  it, 
like  a  sentinel.  But  always  the  main 
body  of  the  fog  followed  fast  after, 
dark  and  dim  and  gray.  And  as  it 
enveloped  us  at  last,  something  —  I 
know  not  what  it  was  —  made  me  turn 
about ;  and  there,  in  the  path,  up  un- 


236  THE    CLAMMER 

der  the  trees,  stood  Eve's  mother.  No 
doubt  she  thought  she  was  safe  there 
and  would  not  be  seen.  And  I  saw 
there,  for  a  moment,  a  mighty  pride 
that  struggled  for  its  life,  and  grief  and 
longing  that  were  yet  mightier.  Ghost 
like  I  saw  it  — but  I  saw  it.  Then  it, 
too,  was  blotted  out.  I  thought  that  I 
heard  a  faint  cry  in  the  fog. 

And  Eve  turned  toward  me,  star 
tled.  "What  was  that,  Adam  ?"  she 
asked.  "  I  thought  I  heard  some  one 
cry  out." 

"  In  a  fog,  Eve,"  I  answered,  "  one 
hears  many  strange  sounds."  Old 
Goodwin  turned  and  smiled  at  me,  a 
smile  of  comprehension. 

So  June  came  to  an  end,  and  July 
was  come.  And,  now  and  then,  I  came 
again  upon  Mrs.  Goodwin  at  our  bank, 
and  twice  I  found  her  on  the  shore 


OLD    GOODWIN'S    WIFE      237 

near  the  steep  path  that  led  up  to  my 
pine.  But  each  time,  she  swiftly  turned, 
and  fled  so  fast  that  I  should  have 
some  trouble  in  catching  her,  save  in 
a  foot-race.  And  that,  I  thought, 
seemed  to  lack  dignity.  Racing  along 
the  beach  after  Mrs.  Goodwin,  as  if  she 
had  been  some  trespasser !  I  laughed 
—  which  was  the  wrong  thing  to  do. 
For  she  but  went  the  faster  as  she 
heard  my  laugh  —  was  well  nigh  run 
ning.  Poor  lady !  To  be  laughed  at 
by  her  son-in-law !  But  I  was  not 
laughing  at  her.  I  saw  her  shoulders 
shake  as  she  were  sobbing,  and  she 
put  her  hands  up  quickly  to  her  eyes. 
The  terns  were  come,  long  since. 
And,  one  morning,  I  was  watching 
them,  lazily,  from  my  bank.  I  was 
alone,  that  morning,  lying  stretched 
out  on  the  sand,  my  head  against  the 


238  THE    CLAMMER 

bank ;  and  I  saw  the  terns,  in  regular 
procession,  flying  swiftly  down  the 
wind,  along  the  shore,  and  beating 
slowly  up  against  it.  Now  and  then  a 
tern  would  stop,  and  hover  for  an  in 
stant;  then  again  take  up  his  slow 
beating,  his  beak  pointing  to  the  water 
and  moving  restlessly  from  side  to  side. 
Or,  if  he  dove,  it  was  too  far  for  me 
to  see  whether  his  strike  succeeded  ; 
for  the  fish  that  they  catch  are  very 
small  and  hard  to  see.  But  over  my 
clam  beds — just  before  me  —  was  a 
favored  spot.  Here,  each  tern  hovered 
for  some  while,  and  dove ;  dove  once 
or  twice  or  thrice,  it  might  be,  —  until 
he  had  succeeded  in  his  fishing  —  then 
began,  once  more,  his  beat  to  windward. 
For  their  fishing  was  successful,  here; 
and,  with  a  rapid  flutter  of  the  wings, 
they  gobbled  their  victim  down,  whole 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      239 

—  and,  I  suppose,  alive.  Poor  little 
fish  !  Alive  in  a  living  tomb !  And,  as 
I  thought  these  thoughts,  I  heard  a 
sound  behind  me,  on  the  bank.  I 
raised  my  head  —  and  there  was  Mrs. 
Goodwin.  She  was  leaning  against  a 
tree — Eve's  tree  —  and  she  was  gaz 
ing  at  the  terns,  too,  but  mournfully. 
And,  with  all  her  gazing,  I  doubt 
whether  she  saw  aught  of  the  sight 
that  was  before  her  eyes. 

Slowly,  I  got  upon  my  feet,  for  I 
would  not  startle  her.  But  she  was 
startled  none  the  less.  She  showed  it 
in  her  eyes  as  they  met  mine. 

"Mrs.  Goodwin,"!  said  softly,  "  Mrs. 
Goodwin  "  — 

What  more  I  would  have  said  I  do 
not  know,  for  she  broke  in  upon  my 
speech. 

"You!"  she  said.  "You!"   And  she 


240  THE    CLAMMER 

said  no  more,  but  rose  quickly ;  and 
gathered  her  skirts  about  her  and  fled 
up  the  path  and  was  gone  from  me. 

I  hesitated  for  a  moment,  gazing 
after  her ;  then  I  sat  me  down  again. 
And  I  fell  to  musing  and  I  watched 
the  terns.  They  had  scattered,  with 
screams  of  anger,  as  I  rose,  but  were, 
by  this,  once  more  busied  with  their 
fishing.  What  could  I  do  ?  I  doubted 
not  that  I  had  done  the  wrong  thing, 
rising  up  before  her — but,  it  seemed, 
I  had  a  talent  for  the  wrong  thing  - 
else  aught  that  I  might  do  would  seem 
wrong —  in  her  eyes.  Eve  went  to  see 
her  every  day,  but  I  —  I  sighed,  and 
put  the  matter  from  me.  I  had  done 
my  best  —  and  would  do  my  best, 
whatever  befell.  And  I  saw  the  terns 
at  their  fishing,  and  I  bethought  me 
that  I  was  hungry,  for  it  must  be  din- 


OLD    GOODWIN'S   WIFE      241 

ner  time.  I  glanced  up  at  the  sun —  I 
carry  no  watch  —  what  should  a  clam- 
mer  do  with  a  watch  ?  And  I  saw  that 
he  had  passed  the  noon-point  a  half- 
hour  since,  and  something  more.  It 
should  be  nearly  one  o'clock.  So  I 
took  my  way  homeward,  along  the 
shore. 

So  the  summer  passed.  And  we- 
Old  Goodwin  and  Eve  and  I,  with 
some  one  of  my  friends  or  of  my 
neighbors,  as  it  chanced  —  scarce  gave 
the  stones  time  to  cool  before  we  had 
them  hot  again.  I  had  some  fear  that 
my  clam  beds  would  give  out.  Mrs. 
Goodwin  I  saw  as  I  had  seen  her ;  on 
the  shore  or  on  the  bank — but  always 
at  a  distance  —  and  she  fled,  ever,  at 
the  sight  of  me.  So  I  took  no  notice 
of  her ;  and  that  seemed  to  be  the 
wrong  thing,  too.  It  did  not  matter 


242  THE    CLAMMER 

what  I  did.  And  the  summer  was 
come  to  an  end  —  a  happy  summer 
for  me,  and  for  Old  Goodwin,  too,  I 
think  —  and  I  had  had  my  fill  of  clams. 
It  was  October ;  and  in  my  house 
was  a  nurse,  white-capped  and  white 
aproned  —  it  gave  me  the  horrors, 
making  my  house  seem  a  hospital  - 
and  she  was  waiting. 

Paternity  has  its  responsibilities,  so 
I  am  told  by  all  who  have  the  good 
fortune  to  be  fathers  —  and  from  those 
who  have  not,  I  hear  no  less  of  it  - 
more,  perhaps.  But,  though  I  squared 
my  shoulders,  the  load  is  light  as  yet, 
so  that  they  bear  it  passing  well.  For 
who  could  feel  the  load  heavy,  for  a 
mite  that  lies  by  his  mother,  as  yet, 
and  turns  to  the  world  but  a  red  and 
wrinkled  face,  serious  and  thoughtful 


OLD    GOODWIN'S   WIFE      243 

and  unsmiling  ?  For  he  has  not  yet 
smiled ;  and  I  doubt  whether  I  am 
right  in  calling  his  face  thoughtful. 
He  is  bent  upon  two  things  ;  and  to 
those  two  things  he  directs  all  his  at 
tention,  with  a  concentration  that  is 
commendable.  And  no  sooner  is  his 
hunger  satisfied  then  he  composes 
him  to  sleep,  graciously  permitting 
Eve  to  hold  his  little  red  fist  —  if  it  is 
quite  comfortable  for  himself.  He  re 
gards  me  with  a  grave  contemplation, 
on  occasion,  as  if  I  were  some  un 
known  animal  —  which,  of  course,  I 
am  — no  doubt  he  would  look  upon  a 
hippopotamus  or  upon  a  bear  with  as 
little  fear  and  as  much  affection  —  and, 
on  occasion,  he  gives  way  to  his  feel 
ings  and  laments,  loudly.  Then  I  dis 
appear,  and  he  stops  crying,  instantly. 
And  I  —  I  have  not  ventured  to  touch 


244  THE   CLAMMER 

him  yet  —  I  regard  him  with  an  awe 
which  °f  rows  as  I  regard  him.  For 

O  O 

here  is  he  — my  son  —  that  was  not ; 
and  within  these  few  days  there  has 
been  born  a  new  soul.  It  is  the  one 
great  mystery,  and  I  marvel ;  but  a 
mystery  I  am  content  to  leave  it. 
I  remember  well  enough  —  it  is  not 

O 

so  long  ago  that  I  should  forget  it — 
I  remember  well  that  night  —  I  had 
waited  since  midnight  —  and  the 
morning  that  followed.  I  could  not  eat 
and  I  but  paced  to  and  fro,  still  wait 
ing.  And  at  last  came  the  nurse,  smil 
ing,  and  said  that  I  could  soon  go  in 
to  Eve. 

So  presently,  after  some  further 
waiting,  I  went  in.  And  there  lay 
Eve,  very  white  but  very  happy ;  and 
she  smiled  to  see  me  come.  And,  hav 
ing  received  my  greeting,  she  turned 


OLD   GOODWIN'S    WIFE      245 

back  the  covers  and  showed  me  my 
son.  Only  for  an  instant  I  saw  him, 
then  he  was  covered  again.  I  was  im 
pelled  to  be  respectful.  But  I  must 
go,  for  Eve  would  rest  her.  Again  I 
kissed  her,  and  again  she  smiled. 

"  I  am  so  happy,  Adam,"  she  said. 

And  I  went  down  the  stairs,  and  I 
nearly  forgot  my  breakfast,  in  my  joy. 
But,  having  eaten  hastily,  I  went  out, 
my  heart  glad  within  me.  I  took  a  turn 
up  and  down  the  yard,  and  paused 
under  the  pine  to  look  along  the  shore. 
There  was  Mrs.  Goodwin,  and  she 
was  almost  at  the  path.  I  waved  my 
hat  to  her. 

"  You  have  a  grandson,  Mrs.  Good 
win,"  I  called  to  her,  "  and  Eve  is  do 
ing  well." 

I  know  not  what  she  did  then  —  I 
did  not  care  what  she  did ;  for  I  was 


246  THE    CLAMMER 

still  waving  my  hat.  Soon  I  should 
be  shouting  aloud.  That  would  not 
do,  for  Eve ;  and  I  hurried  out  at  my 
gate  and  almost  ran  Old  Goodwin 
down. 

"  You  have  a  grandson,"  I  cried,  for 
the  second  time ;  "  and  Eve  is  doing 
well." 

And  he  made  no  reply,  but  smiled 
and  smiled ;  and  I  shook  him  by  the 
hand  until  he  made  a  face  and  took 
his  hand  away  and  looked  at  it.  And 
I  did  but  laugh  and  push  by  him. 

"  Go  in,"  I  said,  "  go  in.  Eve  is 
sleeping,  and  I  —  I  must  walk." 

So  he  went  in,  and  I  went  on, 
down  the  road.  At  the  next  corner 
I  met  Burdon ;  and,  though  I  had  not 
spoken  to  him  for  years  --  I  have 
forgot  what  was  the  cause  of  it  —  I 
rushed  up  and  took  him  by  the  hand. 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      247 

He  seemed  astonished,  as  well  he 
might. 

"  Congratulate  me,"  I  cried  ;  "  for  I 
have  a  son." 

At  that  he  grinned.  "  Mother  doing 
well  ?  "  he  asked.  "  I  am  glad  —  very 
glad."  And  he  shook  my  hand  with 
heartiness.  I  left  him,  looking  after 
me,  and  grinning  still. 

But  I  went  on  swiftly,  until  the 
houses  were  all  behind  me,  and  be 
fore  me  were  the  woods  and  the  ever 
lasting  hills.  Yet  a  little  while  I 
waited  —  until  the  woods  had  shut  me 
in  —  then  I  could  wait  no  longer.  I 
waved  my  hands  and  shouted  to  the 
echoing  woods. 

"  Why  hop  ye  so,"  I  cried,  "  ye  high 
hills?"  And  the  hills  sent  me  back 
my  question  again.  And  —  well,  I  am 
glad  that  there  was  no  one  there  to 


248  THE    CLAMMER 

see  what  I  did  —  they  would  surely 
have  thought  me  gone  out  of  my  wits. 
And  when  I  was,  in  a  measure,  quieted, 
I  turned  me  about  and  went  soberly 
back  again;  though  I  was  ready  enough 
to  laugh  if  there  had  been  any  to  laugh 
with  me. 

And  now  my  son  has  grown  apace, 
and  no  longer  shows  to  the  world  a  red 
and  wrinkled  face,  but  one  that  is  fair, 
with  some  pink  color  in  his  cheeks, 
where  it  should  be.  And  his  hair  —  he 
has  a  quantity  of  hair,  which,  as  I  un 
derstand,  is  not  the  habit  of  new-born 
infants  —  his  hair  is  not  black,  as  it  was 
at  first,  but  shows  yellow  at  the  ends. 
Indeed,  I  marveled  somewhat  at  the 
blackness  of  his  hair,  for  my  hair  is 
not  black,  and  certainly  Eve's  is  not. 
But,  when  I  mentioned  the  matter, 
the  nurse  did  but  smile  at  my  igno- 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      249 

ranee  and  say  that  it  would  be  light 
enough  in  time.  And  my  son  has 
smiled  at  last  —  he  does  little  else  now, 
—  save  when  he  is  laughing.  And  I 
-  I  am  become  his  slave,  being  no 
longer  a  strange  animal,  and  when  he 
wills  I  bend  my  head  and  let  him 
twine  his  fingers  in  my  hair  and  pull. 
He  pulls  well,  and  laughs  the  while, 
and  crows  mightily  with  the  joy 
of  it. 

And,  now,  though  it  is  come  to  the 
last  of  November,  the  fall  is  kind  to 
us,  and  Eve  walks  beside  the  coach  as 
the  nurse  wheels  it.  Where  they  go 
when  I  am  not  with  them  I  do  not 
know  —  but  I  suspect.  For  Mrs.  Good 
win  sent,  every  day,  a  maid  to  get  the 
news  of  Eve.  She  would  not  come 
herself,  though  she  was  near  it  twenty 
times,  and  had  well-nigh  set  her  foot 


250  THE   CLAMMER 

to  the  steep  path;  but,  always,  her 
stubborn  pride  prevented.  But  Old 
Goodwin  is  his  grandson's  shadow.  I 
shall  yet  be  jealous  of  him.  And  so  it 
was  come  time  that  we  speak  of  a  cer 
tain  weighty  matter. 

"  Eve,"  said  I,  one  day,  "  I  suppose 
that  you  will  have  him  christened." 
For  whenever  we  say  "  him  "  we  mean 
our  son ;  and  no  doubt  I  should  have 
said  baptized  —  I  did  not  know  about 
such  things. 

And  Eve  was  smiling.  "  Yes,"  she 
answered,  "  I  should  like  it  —  and  soon, 
Adam,  if  we  may." 

"  And  what  is  his  name  to  be  ? "  I 
asked.  "  For  that  is  a  trifle  that  must 
be  settled  first,  I  suppose." 

"  I  suppose  it  must,"  she  said.  "  And 
I  —  what  would  you  name  him, 
Adam  ? " 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      251 

"  I  had  thought  of  giving  him  your 
father's  name,"  I  answered,  "but"  — 
And  I  stammered  and  hesitated  and 
grew  red.  But  come  it  must.  "  That 
rich  man,  Eve  " 

She  laughed  aloud,  with  joy,  I 
thought ;  and  she  seized  me  about  the 
neck  and  kissed  me.  "  Oh,"  she  cried, 
"  I  hoped  you  would.  And  I  will 
write  to  him,  for  he  must  be  god 
father." 

And  so  she  did  write  to  him,  and 
he  came  —  laden  with  peace-offerings. 
And  as  I  met  him  at  my  gate  he  took 
my  hand  and  gripped  it. 

"  Adam,"  he  said  —  and  this  time, 
too,  I  doubted  if  he  knew  what  he 
called  me  —  but  I  did  not  care. 
"  Adam,  it  was  good  of  you  to  think 
of  me  —  it  was  kind."  His  voice  was 
;>  not  steady;  but  Eve  was  close  behind 


252  THE    CLAMMER 

me,  and  he  must  say  his  greetings  to 
her.  So  I  did  not  find  out  whether 
my  voice  was  any  steadier  than  his. 

He  spread  his  gifts  before  my  son  ; 
and  it  befell  that  my  son  passed  them 
all  by,  with  no  more  than  a  grunt  of 
approval,  until  he  came  to  the  silver 
cup.  It  was  huge,  more  like  a  tank 
ard  than  a  cup,  and  Eve  and  I  had 
laughed  at  it  as  a  gift  for  a  baby  — 
but  let  it  pass  —  at  least  it  had  no 
sharp  corners.  And  when  my  son,  in 
his  inspection,  had  come  to  that  cup, 
he  gave  a  crow  of  delight  and  grasped 
it  by  the  two  handles,  one  on  either 
side,  and  lifted  it.  I  had  not  thought 
it  possible,  for  it  was  heavy ;  but  he 
had  his  heart  set  upon  it,  and  he  did  it 
—  and  I  was  proud  and  let  my  pride 
show.  And  he  managed  to  get  the 
cup  well  nigh  over  his  face,  and  then 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      253 

he  roared  into  it ;  and  the  cup  roared 
back  at  him  again.  He  was  astonished 
—  he  slipped  the  cup  aside  to  see  how 
we  took  it  —  then,  seeing  us  laughing, 
he  laughed,  too,  and  roared  again. 
Now  he  lies  and  plays  by  the  hour 
with  that  cup,  roaring  into  it,  and 
making  all  manner  of  queer  noises, 
and  listens  to  it.  And  that  Rich  man 
sits  beside  him,  and  they  play  to 
gether. 

Eve  had  the  christening  —  or  bap 
tizing  —  in  our  little  country  church. 
I  had  left  the  whole  to  her,  to  manage 
as  she  saw  fit ;  and  when,  in  the  church, 
I  looked  about,  and  saw  those  that  she 
had  bid  to  the  feast,  I  was  somewhat 
surprised — until  I  remembered.  There 
were  Old  Goodwin  and  that  Rich  man, 
of  course,  and  my  friends  ;  but  there, 
too,  were  Judson  and  Burdon  and  my 


254  THE    CLAMMER 

other  neighbors.  And  there  was  Mrs. 
Goodwin,  looking  —  but  I  did  not 
look  at  her,  after  the  first,  so  I  know 
not  how  she  looked.  And  when  it  was 
all  done,  I  lingered,  fora  reason  of  my 
own,  and  walked  with  Judson,  and 
Burdon  walked  with  us.  An  old  man 
walks  but  slowly.  So  it  came  to  pass 
that  we  were  the  last.  And,  having 
entered  my  own  house,  I  found  Eve 
and  Old  Goodwin  and  that  other  Rich 
man  sitting  in  a  half  circle ;  and,  at 
the  centre  of  that  circle,  with  my  son 
in  her  arms,  sat  Mrs.  Goodwin. 

I  walked  up  to  her  quickly.  "  Mrs. 
Goodwin,"  I  said,  "  I  rejoice  that  you 
are  here,  —  at  last." 

So  speaking,  I  held  out  my  hand. 
And  she  took  it,  and  would  havespoken, 
too,  but  she  could  not.  She  hid  her 
face  on  the  shoulder  of  him  that  was 


OLD   GOODWIN'S   WIFE      255 

but  just  baptized;  and  he,  thinking, 
no  doubt,  that  he  had  had  enough  of 
water  for  one  day,  set  up  a  wail.  And 
I  turned  me  about  and  went  forth  and 
left  them. 


Eltctrotyped  and  printed  by  H.  O.  Honghton  &>  Co. 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.S.  A. 


DAPHNE 

An  Autumn  Pastoral 


By  MARGARET  SHERWOOD 


"  In  Daphne  we  have  a  most  delightfully  refreshing 
story.  In  addition  to  a  charming  love-story  of  a  young 
Italian  for  an  American  girl,  Miss  Sherwood  has  given 
us  some  rare  descriptions  of  Italian  peasant  scenes, 
and  some  graphic  pictures  of  Italian  woods,  moun 
tains,  and  sunsets."  Review  of  Reviews. 

"  The  story  of  their  love  is  simply  and  sweetly  told, 
and  with  so  exquisite  a  feeling  and  so  masterly  a  touch 
that  the  story  takes  place  in  one's  mind  beside  the 
little  classics  that  he  loves." 

Indianapolis  Sentinel. 


By  the  author  of  "  The  Coming  of  the  Tide." 

i2mo,  $1.00 


KOUGHTON  /\3ww  BOSTON 

MIFFLIN  /^W  AND 

&  COMPANY  rara  NEW  YORK 


The 

SPIRIT  OF  THE  PINES 

By  MARGARET  MORSE 


A  little  tragedy  enacted  amid  the  fragrance  of  piney 
woods  and  hill-tops  in  New  Hampshire  is  here  charm 
ingly  told.  It  is  a  love  story,  a  story  of  nature  and 
of  two  nature  lovers  ;  of  a  man  and  woman  of  unusual 
temperaments,  ideals,  and  affinity. 
Miss  Morse  shows  herself  an  enthusiast  for  Amiefs 
Journal  and  for  the  Obermann  Letters,  so  highly 
praised  by  Matthew  Arnold.  In  some  ways  her  story 
may  recall  that  delightful  romance  "  Our  Lady  of  the 
Beeches,"  but  it  has  a  strong  individuality. 


i6mo,  $1.00 


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A     000110173     2 


